iPhone 6 Review

I spent the last two weeks with the iPhone 6 by my side out of both curiosity and to become even more familiar with Android’s biggest competitor. I have seen all that iOS 8 has to offer (at least at this point). I have experienced Apple’s finest. I have experienced Apple’s vision for Android. Yes, I just said that.

If there are two conclusions that I can take from this experience, it’s that I now understand why millions upon millions of people want this phone each year, but also that I am still confused at the obsessive, often times obnoxious, need for all-things-Apple, especially involving the iPhone. This is a nice phone, don’t get me wrong. However, this is not something to obsess over or to use as a prop to help you look down upon people who don’t own one. The iPhone is not a status symbol. You should not stand in lines for days to own one. It’s a really good smartphone – it just isn’t the best smartphone. It certainly isn’t running the best mobile OS.

Here are some final thoughts to put this experiment to bed.

Before we get going, understand that this isn’t an iPhone 6 review in the traditional sense. We aren’t an Apple site, so we aren’t going to start reviewing iPhones. Instead, these are some thoughts on the iPhone 6 and iOS 8 from someone who lives Android day-to-day, but spent the last few weeks with nothing but an iPhone. The sections in here will be comparisons to Android, what I like and don’t like about the iPhone 6 and iOS 8, and why, ultimately, Android is still what I prefer in a smartphone.

Initial impressions

Phone design

If I’m being honest, I have to admit that I tend to like most of the hardware design decisions that Apple makes with many of its products. I love the cylindrical style of the new Mac Pro, the sleek metal and now seemingly iconic design of the Macbook, and can even acknowledge that the iPhone 5 was gorgeous. With that said, the iPhone 6 is probably the ugliest, worst designed product that Apple has released in, well, years. Let me explain why.

First of all, the rounded edges surrounding its body, coupled with its aluminum exterior make it incredibly slippery. Thankfully, the phone is on the smaller side when compared to flagship Android phones in 2014, so you can mostly get a full-handed grip on it. The iPhone 5 had a squared off metallic design, with the edges acting as gripping points, something a phone this size should always have. This is the same issue I had with the HTC One (M8), which also saw the flat edges from its predecessor removed in favor of a fully rounded body, a move that has little benefit other than for the company who made it to have bragging rights and for it to look extra pretty in pictures.

Second, Apple sacrificed all sorts of things just so they could say that the iPhone 6 is incredibly thin. For example, the camera on the backside of the device protrudes out from the phone’s shell. This is a terrible design decision for a number of reasons, most importantly though, because now your $650+ phone has an always exposed camera lens that will take the brunt of every collision. It also doesn’t allow the phone to lay fully flat and is the first piece of your phone that contacts any surface it is laid on. It is asking to be scratched.

But beyond the camera bulge, why is this phone this tall? To keep the iPhone 6 at an insanely thin 6.9mm and include their standard home button, Apple had to flatten it out, a move we wish they would have reconsidered. If you compare the iPhone 6 to the Xperia Z3 Compact, Galaxy Alpha, and last year’s Moto X, all of which sport the same size display (around 4.7-inch) as the iPhone 6, you might be shocked to see them sitting next to each other. Take a look at our comparison of the three on video. You would probably think that the iPhone 6 has a bigger display, but it doesn’t. The dimensions on the iPhone 6 are comparable to the new Moto X, yet it houses a 5.2-inch display. The Z3 Compact and old Moto X are almost 10mm shorter; all of those phones mentioned are not as wide.

Finally, the backside of the iPhone 6, with its plastic lines and matching top/bottom panels is simply put, terrible to look at. From the first leaks we saw months ago, I kept saying to myself, “Apple can’t possible release a phone with that ugly of a backside.” And then they did. At least the previous iPhones that packed in panels offered some contrast with glass or different colors. The new iPhone just looks like Apple was trying to keep the familiarity of their previous designs and ended up settling because they wanted a unibody rounded frame instead.

If there is one design decision I will give Apple credit for, though, it would be in the rounded edges of the display. Like you will see on the new Moto X or the older Nexus 4, the iPhone 6’s display has been rounded off at all of its edges, which presents your finger with the softest swiping experience you can find. It also gives off the appearance that the display is floating, depending on which angle your eye takes to it.

In the end, to say that I came away disappointed in the design of the iPhone 6 would be a gross understatement.

Camera

There are two things I’m going to miss when I leave the iPhone 6 world and get back to Android – the camera and this phone’s battery life. I will get to the battery life in a second, so first, let’s talk about an amazing camera experience. If I were to describe the iPhone 6’s camera in two words, they would be “versatile” and “consistent.” Whenever I needed a shot taken, the camera was ready and more than capable. It’s also insanely fast in any lighting situation. While the camera only weighs in at 8MP, that is plenty of resolution for most. 16MP or 20MP just seems like overkill in a smartphone, especially if the smartphone can barely push quality in all those pixels.

As far as the camera UI goes, the iPhone 6 has the features and modes you need all at a swipe or tap away. It’s simple, that’s for sure. There are no manual settings that I can find, so if you want a deeper camera experience, you will have to download a 3rd party app. But if you just want to pull your phone out of the box, shoot quality photos, slow motion videos, or squared-off Instagram-ready shots, you can do that with ease.

As far as actual results are concerned, I can tell you that I am more than satisfied with the photos I was able to take. While I didn’t find myself in the ultimate photo situations during the last two weeks, every picture I took still seemed to come out as I had hoped. The iPhone 6’s camera shoots in a traditional 4:3, captures natural looking photos that aren’t overblown with saturation or high contrast or over-processing, and generally need little retouching depending on your needs.

I just always had confidence in the iPhone 6’s camera, which is something I can’t always say with many of the latest and greatest Android phones. That’s not to say that the iPhone 6 dominates all Android phones, I just feel like the camera has been fine-tuned to offer you a very consistent experience.

Battery life

The iPhone 6 sports an 1,810mAh battery that lasts all-day and then some. The new Moto X features a 2,300mAh battery, which Android users claim is “small,” and can’t last for more than 16 hours with typical use. I would imagine that Apple’s iOS deserves the credit here for maximizing such a small battery, likely at the expense of the fully-featured user experience we get on Android, but man, it has been a pleasure to use a phone that doesn’t look like a DROID MAXX and can still last beyond the night. In two weeks with the iPhone 6, it warned me once that I was below 20% or so and should think about finding a charger. Once. In my two weeks testing the Moto X, I needed a charger every night by 9PM.

Display

The resolution on the iPhone 6 is an odd one (1134×750), but I don’t think anyone in the world would complain at having to look at it on a daily basis. Apple has used an IPS LED display with a pixel density of 326ppi, a number that doesn’t match the top Android phones of the moment. It may not need to, though, because it’s gorgeous to look at. When Android phones jumped to 1080p, a few of us sort of realized that they had gone too far and that there were few benefits at that high of a resolution. Now, that has become the norm or base, while other manufacturers like Samsung and LG are exploring QHD. At 750p, which is a slightly higher-resolution than the Galaxy Alpha or Xperia Z3 Compact’s 720p resolution, you still aren’t going to see pixels with your naked eye.

Apple has calibrated the iPhone 6’s display almost perfectly as well, with as close as you will get to purely accurate colors, though it may show whites as being slightly cooler at times. I will gladly take cooler whites than the yellow, warm ones we see on devices like the new Moto X. The iPhone 6’s brightness level is also almost unmatched on each end of the spectrum, from ultra bright to extra dim.

I would also argue in Apple’s favor that the lower resolution has aided in the excellent battery life of the phone. With fewer pixels to push, you have less strain on that smallish 1,810mAh battery.

Finally, as I mentioned earlier, the display has a cascading effect around its edges, which helps deliver a softer finger feel as you swipe across it thousands of times per day. This also leads to a floating effect, where you feel as if the display is as close to the top of the glass as is possible. Apple did a great job with this display.

Macros for fun.

Apps and the Appstore

Apple bloggers will tell you all day, every day that the Appstore is far superior to Google Play. Is it? I haven’t seen anything in the past two weeks to prove that point. For one, the app selection is almost identical these days. Apple enthusiasts will tell you different, of course, but as of right now, I have two apps on my iPhone 6 that aren’t available on Android: Instagram’s Hyperlapse and Tiny Wings (because Tim made me). No other apps that are iOS exclusives have found their way on to my phone, because I’m not sure that many exist.

And here is problem two, when you talk about iOS and apps – the Appstore is a disaster. I talked about this the other night on the DL Show, but try searching for something like “best Twitter app” on both the Appstore and Google Play. On the Apple Appstore, you get Tweetbot as the top result, which is actually a popular Twitter app, but that’s the only one. The rest of the listings (in order) are an image framing app for Instagram, a game that looks like a kid’s Park Tycoon knock-off, an emoji app, another Instagram photo FX app, and a VPN service. Seriously, those are your options when searching for “best Twitter app.” Google Play, on the other hand, gives me more Twitter apps than I can even count.

It doesn’t stop there. The top charts section, I have been told by iOS users, isn’t worth looking at because it is easily manipulated. I was also told that the featured app collections on the main Appstore page are worth looking at, but Apple only updates those on Thursdays or something like that. There is an explore section, which in theory could be useful, except there are so many categories and sub-categories that it might take you hours to find a new app that is worth installing.

Google Play curates apps based on my friends’ likes and ratings and what I already have installed, but also puts together all sorts of lists of apps in a variety of categories from the newest to the most recently updated. If I want to find a new app on Google Play, or search for one, it’s as easy as doing a Google search. Or, I could take to each section where there are additional curated lists that aren’t buried behind categories and sub-categories.

As I mentioned above, Apple enthusiasts like to talk about how much better the app selection is on iOS, except that doesn’t mean a thing if you can’t find those exclusive apps. The only way to find new and useful apps that I can figure, is if you start reading Apple enthusiast sites. I think I’ll pass.

Using iOS 8 – the part where things get ugly.

If you read everything up until this point, your takeaway could be that I actually don’t mind the iPhone 6, thanks to its incredible camera, stellar battery life, and gorgeous display. Outside of a poor Appstore experience and what I would consider to be the ugliest iPhone in years, the whole package isn’t actually all that bad. But again, that would be the takeaway if you only read up until now. At this point, we are going to switch the focus and dive into iOS 8 for a bit. In other words, this is where it becomes clear that Android is still the smartphone operating system for me.

Performance

The iPhone 6, thanks to its 64-bit chipset, is a little powerhouse. The phone doesn’t stutter, apps load instantly, gaming is a joy, multi-tasking works as Apple expects it to, the camera loads within a split second, and even the Touch ID recognition of your fingerprint happens quicker than you would expect. If you look around the web at iPhone 6 reviews that include benchmarks, you will consistently see the 6 ranked towards the top in almost all categories when compared to other smartphones. The iPhone 6 is efficient, yet powerful.

Goodbye, silos…eventually.

Before iOS 8, your apps couldn’t talk to each other. If you have used an Android phone for more than five minutes, you know how big of a flaw that is. In Android, you can share anything to just about any app at any time from within any app. It’s amazing. In iOS 8, things should change for the better, thanks to the introduction of Extensions, which is an option that developers can build into their apps so that they can talk to other apps. For example, if you were looking at a photo in the iPhone’s Photos app, but wanted to edit it in Afterlight, you can now choose Afterlight as an editing option from within the Photos app. Previously, you would have had to exit the Photos app, open Afterlight, find the photo you wanted to edit, and then edit it. Another example would be sharing a web page. Going forward, assuming developers build in the functionality, you could share a web page and have it save to Pocket or send it through Mailbox as an email.

At this point, this functionality just isn’t there for most apps. Since the idea behind Extensions is so new and iOS 8 has only been available for a couple of weeks, we are still waiting for developers to add in support to their apps. As the days go by, we are seeing more and more apps gain sharing, widgets, etc., but it’s going to take time.

As I have been testing the iPhone 6, this has been a major pain point. For example, I use Feedly as an RSS reader and often email stories to myself. Unfortunately, Mailbox hasn’t built in sharing and I refuse to use iOS’s Mail app, so from within Feedly, I have no way to email a story out of the app. Again, things like this should be fixed over time, it’s just that this whole idea of sharing between apps has been a staple on Android from day one, that dealing with the slow rollout of support has been frustrating.

I need a back button.

As you know, the iPhone only has a single navigation button – the physical circle home button at the bottom of the device. After having used Android for so many years, I truly have missed the back button. While Android’s back button has a mind of its own at times, it is more handy than I think most Android people realize.

Like, let’s say I’m in Instagram and find a link in a profile that I tap which takes me into Chrome. Well, the iPhone will only let me choose Safari, because…silos. Anyway, the link takes me into a browser on both devices. I then decide I have seen enough and want to quickly jump back into Instagram. On Android, a simple tap on the back button would take me immediately back to Instagram. On the iPhone, I have to double tap the home button to bring up the recent apps menu, hope that iOS quickly pulls up Instagram in a recent apps card menu since it was the app I last used, wait for the animation to finish, and then tap on Instagram. Inefficient much?

To be fair, iOS does utilize this nifty gesture where you can swipe from the left side of the display to quickly jump back a screen. It has been very handy to use and I almost wish that Android would adopt it. Unfortunately, this back swipe only works within apps – you can’t use it as a back button to jump back and forth between apps. Maybe some day.

The app jukebox.

There is no better way to describe the way iOS works than by calling it an App Jukebox. Android runs more like a traditional computer in that you have an accessible file system, real multi-tasking, apps that run outside of silos and can talk to one another, and almost unlimited access, assuming you know what you are doing. Apple doesn’t want anything to do with a scheme like that. Apple wants iOS to be an app facilitator, nothing more. The OS forces you to run an app to do this, another app to do that, and another app to do one more thing. Up until iOS 8, they didn’t talk to each other, you just went from one app, back home, and then to another. While we now have Extensions on iOS, the idea of running a specific app to do this or that still stands. You load your home screen, find an app, tap its little icon, close that app, find another, tap it, close it, tap it, close it, tap it.

With Android, there are apps that work within other apps or on-top of apps or next to apps. You have multi-tasking apps that can be accessed with a swipe, widgets that live on your home screen that do more than just display information, the ability to run multiple apps at a time in a multi-window environment, perform a quick task with a floating app on top of your current app, and maybe more importantly, life outside of the stock suite of apps that the operating system’s creator has forced upon you.

I am overwhelmed by settings…within Settings.

I talked about this in my “first impressions” video above, but the Settings situation on iOS is completely out of control. Rather than allow apps to host their own settings within themselves, Apple has decided that all settings will be controlled from a central Settings application. If you have a few dozen apps installed, your settings panel becomes overwhelming. Each app has its own settings menu within Settings, but it also has its own section within the Notifications section within Settings. Facebook has a settings menu within its settings menu within the Settings app. This is not a joke.

The settings situation gets worse when you include notifications in the conversation. Notifications are also handled individually per app through their own settings section within Settings. But so you know, you have to decide if you want each individual app to access all areas of your device, how many notifications to show, and how they should appear as they roll in. Again, you have to do this for each individual application.

The Settings app is also where you do things like set a wallpaper, turn on “Shake to shuffle” in the Music app, tell Apple Maps how loud the navigation volume should be, and add a second account to Twitter. You cannot do any of these things outside of the Settings app. I’m not making this stuff up.

Notifications

Speaking of notifications, they are both good and bad.

As I mentioned above, the notifications settings within the Notifications menu within Settings, isn’t my favorite setup. You have to choose within each app’s notifications settings if you want banners, no notifications, or pop-up alerts. You also need to choose if the app can even send you notifications, play sounds, show on the lock screen, and how many notifications you want to show in Notification Center. For the most part you really only need to tweak these settings once and can then forget about them, but the initial process is a bit much. Once you start receiving notifications, you may find that you need to go back in and re-tweak to get each app notifying you in just the right-but-not-over-the-top way, which again, is incredibly time consuming.

Similar to what I said in the Extensions section, the future for notifications is quite bright, we’re just not fully there yet. For example, apps will soon be actionable from the lock screen or as badges that show up at the top of your screen, but we need developers to build in that functionality. Again, it’s a waiting game for now.

My problems with iOS notifications are that they are everywhere, but they also do not seem to sync properly and you never know if or when they may hang around or leave as they should. This could be something that developers could yet again address, but for example, if I have already dealt with Mailbox items on my computer, I shouldn’t see notifications for those old emails on my iPhone that were dealt with hours ago. Same thing with my Dropcam notifications and “likes” from people on Instagram. But almost every time I pick up my iPhone 6, I have old notifications that I have already dealt with somewhere else.

Another issue arises when you dismiss a notification for later because you have to remember to check back for that notification. What I mean, is that there are no notification icons in the status bar that are constant reminders of items that need to be dealt with. On Android, while it may look cluttered and nasty at times, you have a status bar that constantly lets you know that you have pending notifications. On iOS, that isn’t the case – you have to swipe down your notification shade to see them or hope they are on your lock screen the next time you wake your phone.

I will say that I like how iOS groups notifications from the same app together in sections, with an option to clear all notifications from that app only. This is incredibly useful if you want your Instagram notifications gone, but want to see email or Hangouts notifications for a while as a reminder.

WTF, sound controls?

I don’t think anything about the iPhone 6 has been more maddening than trying to figure out volume controls. Apple has a Sounds section in Settings (of course they do), but it does very little. As you can see from the screenshot above in the Settings section, there is a single volume slider that controls both the ringer and alerts. The problem is, that it lies. I can turn my volume as low as it will go before going to silent and yet Hangouts messages still try to blow my eardrums out because they couldn’t care less what my system volume settings are. I have had this phone for two weeks and still cannot figure out how to adjust volume in Hangouts. How is that possible? Meanwhile, Android has separate sliders for media, alarms, and calls/notifications. Android devices also listen when you set them at a certain volume.

No personalization.

We like to host “Show us your home screens!” posts on a regular basis. Those days are used to show off the custom works of art that our readers have been able to construct on the home screen of their Android phone. They are without a doubt some of our most entertaining and popular posts. If we ran something similar on an iPhone site, it would be the most boring feature of the year, every time. There is no personalization with an iPhone outside of the wallpaper that appears on your home and lock screens.

I feel like with this iPhone, I’m using someone else’s phone and that I can’t actually make it my own. The only controls I have are how many apps I want in a folder, how many folders I want on a screen, and the arrangement of those folders and their surrounding apps. I guess I can add and remove apps from pages too, and maybe even place a widget on the notification shade or change the whopping four icons that sit in a dock at the bottom of the screen. There are no options for you to customize – this is Apple’s vision of a phone and they don’t allow you to change it. It is, as I mentioned earlier, an app jukebox.

Things that are great.

I know that I just spent all of that time talking about the things that I find difficult to deal with, but there are some good things going on in iOS 8. For one, if you are invested in Apple’s ecosystem, you have some amazing device-to-device sharing tools. Not only that, but your computer can become an extension of your phone, thanks to additions in Max OS X “Yosemite.”

Now, I happen to be running Yosemite on my Mac Pro, so I can do things like answer incoming calls on my computer (like you can do in Hangouts already), send web pages directly to my computer from the iPhone 6, send files instantly and make them available, or have all photos taken automatically backed up and ready in iPhoto within seconds. There are apps and features like this on Android as well, but Apple makes them incredibly easy to use in iOS 8.

I should also point out that if your core group of friends and family all use iPhones, I would imagine that iMessage (or whatever it’s called these days) would be a great messaging app. I do not personally know many iPhone users, so I haven’t even touched the app.

The Little Things

Touch ID is great. Apple’s use of a fingerprint scanner in the home button of the iPhone is actually pretty great. It doesn’t require a swipe, only that you set your finger there for a second. You can use it to unlock your phone, pay for things, and authenticate without needing to type a password. It works almost flawlessly. This is not that gimmicky swipe fingerprint scanner that Samsung continues to try and use – this is a legitimate fingerprint scanner that works practically every time you use it, no matter which part of your fingerprint is touching it.

Lightning cable is too. Apple uses a proprietary charging cable (Lightning) that blows away the micro USB cable that all of our Android phones use, because of one thing – it’s reversible. When I go to bed at night and plug-in this iPhone 6, I no longer have to worry about which way the cable is facing. I grab it, plug it in through the dark and go to bed.

Call quality, not so much. I rarely mention call quality in reviews because most phones these days all sound great. With that said, the iPhone 6 actually stood out to me as having poor audio quality when on a call. Not only does the volume not get loud enough, but conversations often sounded tinny or robotic.

Bing all the things. If you want to perform a quick search on an iPhone, you can do so through a simple swipe-down when on your home screen. Once swiped, a search box appears that allows you to search for anything that is on your mind. In iOS 8, you can now do more than just perform web searches; you can search for apps, contacts, movie listings, wikipedia, and more. The idea and implementation are quite useful, except for one thing – the search uses Bing instead of Google. Have you tried searching for anything on Bing lately? Save yourself, it’s still not any good in 2014. Edit: I have been informed that you can change the search setting to use Google instead of Bing. Probably one of the 8,000 settings I missed.

Gallery

Wrap-up

My experience with the iPhone 6 ends like I expected it to. The phone was impressive in battery life, camera, display, and performance categories, but I was ultimately left frustrated by the intricacies of iOS 8 that differ from Android. From Settings and Notifications handling to the silos that still exist while developers get their apps ready for Extensions to that damn physical home button. It’s obvious that Apple has created an experience that they feel is the best for everyone, except they forgot about the tinkerers of the world and those of us who want ultimate control, who want to customize a phone’s experience, and who don’t want to be told that their phone should be used a certain way.

The iPhone 6 and iOS are consistent – they just aren’t consistently what I want.

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NickDun

One thing I think most highly computer ate people don’t get is that most people don’t want customisation, they don’t want the smartphone to be a computer and mostly they don’t want operating system. They simply don’t. They just want apps to do the one thing they got the app for. So for those of us who “do computers” android or windows will win every time. For those who want a platform that just works then iOS is the choice. And btw, for those of us who value our privacy and don’t see ourselves as a commodity to be sold by advertisers to advertisers. Android and the Google universe is not a place we like to be. I guess that’s why iPhone users become addicts to their iPhones and Apple makes money.

Alexander Possessed

I like it… he tried to stay honest and objective even though his heart was clearly with android. I totally feel him, I am an android fan, love to mod them and mess around with android’s almost unlimited possibilities, but all day at work I fix iphones :). Objectivity is so damn hard

Wilson

i bought an iphone6 from Dubai and at the backside it has sone Chinese words, does it mean that the phone is fake?

Paweł Narolski

I’m having hard time choosing between iPhone 6 and Xperia Z3. I’m a pro Mac user, so iPhone would integrate with it nicely, but for the last year I’ve been using Android (HTC One) and was pleased with customization options. Also, I’d get a free Sony watch with Xperia. Care to help, anyone?

J.r. Coffie

That was less bias than phonearena “review” of the iPhone 6

Pyronaut

There’s mention in the review of the camera lens just waiting to be scratched since it sticks out. It’s covered by sapphire, so it’ll be pretty hard to scratch.

dutchie

I have had several Iphones for years and I have now decided to get the Galaxy note 4.
My main reason for this is actually being more independent from a business stand point.
I can handle everything from one device and do not need to go back to the office or home to sit behind the pc / mac in order to do my daily stuff.
What really seems exciting is the use of the s pen. I have never used something like it before, but I am actually looking forward using it.
I do like I phone and have no complaints at all, it just doesn’t have the extra’s I really need on daily basis.

atc-tech

Lightening cable is irrelevant when wireless charging exists…

Eddy

The slim new iPhones aren’t a big-screen slam-dunk, but they work well, as we have come to expect from Apple. Ultimately, it’s what’s on the inside that keeps them just in front of their competitors.

jay67

Wow – iPhone call quality still sucks after 7 iterations (give or take) ? – it is amazing how consistent they have been on this. Good job Apple!

Brandon Rosonina

Can someone explain to me how a tiny battery is so efficient in the iPhone and how to mimic it in my nexus 5, or just wait for android l

davidecrocker

Control over the entire ecosystem. iOS also limits some functionality, which increases the battery life. Two different operating systems.

Android fans will bash the app and it’s obvious nod to Android, but as an iPhone user, I am grateful to have this. Bash it or appreciate it, to me, this is a useful app.

davidecrocker

How do you change from Bing to Google in Spotlight? I cannot find that at all….

Chris Wagers

I’m an iPhone user and I wanted to say I really liked your review. It seems we are alike in what we like and don’t like about iPhones. If Apple doesn’t step it up in the next couple years they will lose another customer. But right now I can’t wait to get my iPhone 6 in another week. Again great review!

p1neapples

Having gone from iPhone to Android and back to iPhone, I think it’s interesting that you were lost in “settings within settings”. That was one of the biggest things (behind camera function and quality and battery life) that made me go back to the iPhone. I really appreciate an honest Android user’s experience of the iPhone instead of the countless reviews by people that are already in the wagon on it (I being one of those people). So thanks! This was a great read!

carlos gonzalez

An android user complaining about not being able to find settings….ironic

Hah

I think it’s funny because he seems like he’s confused about Settings. An Android guy. Complaining about settings. Hah.

neo728

yes it’s about users choice but for me i love my samsung s5 (running nova of course with 1080 res) my finger scanner works great now after a couple of updates but for me i love sd cards and the wireless charging just lay my phone down and go to sleep plus i hate the multiple files on my homescreen that ios offers an app drawer is where it is and widgets cant live without them iphone looks preety but android is light years ahead oh WAITING ON MY MOTO 360 watch cant even buy one yet from apple

Destroythanet

Yup, Nova Launcher is awesome.

gary

great writeup!

I have used both Android and iOS phones in almost the same amount of time (2+ years)

for someone like me who looks to the Notifications as a reminder/checklist, iOS may not have the icons at the status bar but at least it still keeps the items even after a restart… in Android, an accidentla/unpredictable restart would mean losing all the notification items… that has always been a concern to me

Pavidus

This is a essay on “why I don’t like IOS because it is different from Android”

Kishi Talati

Great Review! One small thing, the camera is covered by sapphire glass so it is pretty much scratch proof despite Apple making it stick out.

Dave S.

I think the fact that the Lightning cable/plug is reversible is certainly a nice bonus, but the fact that anyone still complains about having to figure out how their micro-USB goes into their phones in 2014 is ridiculous. You’ve been doing it for years now already…I’m sure it’s not that big of a deal!

abazigal

I would argue that it is a big deal precisely because we have been doing it for many years already, and will likely continue to do so for many years to come. I guess it just amazes me that in all these years, no one every thought of making it reversible? Or was the idea raised, only to be subsequently rejected due to bureaucracy?

So wasting your time in the comment section underneath those articles is worthwhile. I see.

Kurama91

nope, I am not wasting my time by suggesting something to someone who considers himself a huge android fan. if I were him, I wouldn’t be doing that!

abazigal

Find me the last Android article which generated over 500 comments?

TotallyNotGlenn

I’m an iPhone user. I have been since the 3GS, and while some Android phones do pique my interest, I have no plans to switch. Let me just say that I love this review and it’s so refreshing to see someone who isn’t like, “IDK APPLE SUCKS LOL” and actually takes the time to give the device a fair review.

Matt

Jailbreak?

Sporttster

Biggest thing I hate about Apple is having to use iTunes. What a PITA that program is! I love being able to drag, drop, move within a file system easily. Having to help my kids with their iPad/Pods drives me batty! SUCH a frigging pain! And lord help them if they forget their passwords! Try inputting it a few times incorrectly, locks the thing up tight. Hate Apple!!!!

Dcupcattleranch

Pretty even handed review. You tried hard to cater to your audience without dumping on the iPhone 6 gratuitously. It’s pretty obvious by the length and detail of your review that this phone is really very intriguing to you. Of course letting on to that would be career suicide. Nice job, lots o clicks for an iPhone review on an Android fan site!

Jun Hyeon Mun

“They forgot about the tinkerers of the world and those of us who want ultimate control, who want to customize a phone’s experience, and who don’t want to be told that their phone should be used a certain way.”

In that sense, Google forgot about the people who want a reliable device that just works seamlessly. You are completely free to have your preference and I am not forcing you to love the iPhone. But to say that Apple “forgot” about people like you is just plain foolish and even slightly arrogant. You are speaking 100% from a geek’s point of view, which I am pretty sure isn’t even 1% of the consumer market. Your review is great in its honesty but it’s frustratingly narrow-minded.

theemptyhead

1)Geeks are hackers who buys for hacking purpose.
2)Smart are the people who buys the real smart phone. At this point of day android has the smartest phone at the market.
3)Dumb are the people who buys iphone. A dumbest phone if you compare with the latest flagship android phones.

SerenityNow

Dumb is the person who uses atrocious grammar while accusing others of being dumb.

I am reminded of what my colleague once told me when I was telling him about my pebble watch.

Him: So what can this smart-watch do?
Me: I can’t show you at the moment. It’s out of battery.
Him: So you must charge it every week? That’s not very smart of the watch, is it?

In this context, I could also argue that while Android smartphones may have the most functionality, but if I have to specifically go out of my way to learn how they work, and go out of my way to tinker with the device (which is something most people wouldn’t bother doing), then it kinda defeats the point. Just like a tree which falls makes no sound if there is no one around to hear it, what’s the point of all these features if no one bothers to use them?

theemptyhead

Every features are not meant for everyone. That implies to iphones too. The feature you don’t use doesn’t mean it’s useless for others.
One example-
I store all my downloaded movies, youtube videos(downloading is also done via my phone itself. Not computer) on external sd card in my note3. And when I’m home i can just take out my sd card and put it in my android tv stick and watch it on big screen tv. I’m a movie freak. I simply cannot live without it. But my wife haven’t even bought sd card. She doesn’t need it doesn’t care about it.
Another example-
As I’m in japan all the football matches of premier league, champions league, la liga shows at middle of the night. That’s when i use ir remote to control tv. I don’t have to get out of bed and turn on the light to look for remote control.”i think everyone hates to get out of bed in the middle of the night”. It came so handy at world cup brazil 2014. And then again my wife never uses ir remote.
No feature is useless and that’s i want to say. You just have to learn how to make the best use of it.
I’ve used siri for first few months when it launched but later I’ve never found myself using it. Neither my wife ever used it. But that doesn’t mean siri is useless feature. Someone out there is surely making the best use of it. Specially the ones who drives.

abazigal

I won’t say that Apple forgot. They simply made a conscious decision not to cater to this market because it would probably mean alienating the rest of their consumer base – the people who buy an iPhone precisely because it is simply and it works.

needa

it is wierd that you get horrible battery life from android, in comparison to other android, and you get great battery life out of ios, in comparison to others on ios.

SRPat

I don’t understand why a dual core CPU or 8mp camera is considered mid range.
The number of cores can’t be used in comparing CPUs with different architectures The single threaded performance of the A8 is better than the Snapdragon 805, while the multi threaded performance of the 805 is better than the A8
The megapixel race in cameras is somewhat pointless. The iPhone 6 has a 8mp (1.5 micron) 1/3.06 inch sensor, while other flagship Android phones have 13mp (1.12 micron) 1/3.06 inch sensor, 16mp (1.12 micron) 1/2.5 inch sensor or 20mp (1.2 micron) 1/2.3 inch sensor. The larger number of pixels do have an advantage in very well lit conditions and when using digital zoom, however the smaller pixels are terrible for low light. I would rather an Android OEM release a phone with 8mp (1.7 micron) 1/2.5 inch sensor.

Alecio J Evangelista

Finally a review worth reading. Thanks.

Mir Owais

Agreed. The design is the worse apple has done.

joe23521

I disagree about not being able to see pixels on this display. The very first reaction I had upon seeing this phone for the first time was how low the screen res was. The pixels were VERY obvious on the home screen app icons and text.

It’s not horrible, but the relative low res was not at all difficult to notice. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by my G3.

capncoad

This is a fair and respectful review of an iPhone from an Android fan’s perspective. Some of the aggravations you mentioned have been a mainstay of Apple products for years. They can also be strengths. As you mentioned consistent performance, great usability with apps and games. Some of those core strengths come from Apple locking down choice in some fashion.

I have the iPhone 6 Plus. I don’t think it’s more beautiful than the HTC One M8 or even the new 2nd Gen Moto X for that matter. (I do think it’s better looking than any Samsung devices however). However i’m fine sacrificing my tinkering spirit (it drove me crazy when I ran Ubuntu years ago on my desktop, I couldn’t stop messing with it) for a phone that works great, will always have the best app support and games and works with my Mac. Letting another company make design and usability decisions for me is easy and i’m lazy.

Joshui

I feel ya on the review, but honestly Bing is a pretty great search engine.

RiceCake

I agree with kellen in the fact that 5s looked premium. But the 6 looks a little cheap in my opinion. Haha

Michael Clanton

bing works fine, cortana is better then google now, imessage lets you have better quality mms, build quality is better, performance is better, and 3 generations of iphone all get ios 8…can any android manufacturer say that the same day the new android os is released? but coming from a android fanboy it was ok i guess

Dyan_Branielson

Android updates don’t work the same like iOS. You’re comparing, you guessed, Apples to oranges.

theemptyhead

The last generation of apple device to get an updates actually slowers the device to the point that the device becomes useless. And what you’re getting in your updates are still far behind what android users already have. So, basically there’s less need of updates for Android than iOS.
Apple sends out major software update once a year. All the other minor updates are just the pain in the a*s for jailbreakers.
Your imessage have better quality than androids hangout but it doesn’t work cross platform. With hangout i can send message /video call) to anyone using any device (iphone, ipad, desktop, laptop, android tablet). Built quality of iphone 6 and 6+ is bad in my opinion. Iphone 4s had the most premium design i think.
Well, performance are almost identical with most of the high end smartphones these days. But if apple packed all the must have features that android have, then apple’s performance will suck big time with it’s hardware that is being used in their 6 and 6+.

blairh

Maybe the best write up of the iPhone 6 I’ve read online. Most reviews tend to be almost entirely positive without getting into the details of why the iPhone or iOS may be flawed.

I agree with a lot of the ‘pro’s’ in this review. The camera. Touch ID. Battery life. (I assume, I don’t own an iPhone 6, by brother uses one and says it’s solid.)

IMO the notification system of iOS is a weak point. Banners are very distracting compared to icons or text appearing in your status bar. The lack of a notification light is maddening. Alerts are very in your face and if you miss one by chance you have a notification pending with a black screen.

The size of the iPhone 6 is also a let down. Moto X 2013 and Z3C are proof that 4.7″ screen phone can and should be small and compact. I can easily reach the top and top left of my Moto X 2013 but I cannot do the same with the iPhone 6 comfortably.

I still think the iPhone 6 is great for many people. But for my needs I think it’s a letdown. Right now I really am more impressed with the Z3C. Waterproof, double tap to wake, cheaper 128 GB expansion, smaller footprint and easier screen navigation, supposed amazing battery life, solid camera, front facing stereo speakers. Starting to think the Z3C is the true killer flagship this year. Not the iPhone 6.

Last point, a lot of misused commas in this piece. Sorry Kellen, it’s true. Great overview though. Anybody that covers tech should have a clear understanding of all the major OS’s.

carol argo

The sony z3 compAct is literally competing vs iphone6 ,dont let 32 bit scare you,not much on the market beats it baterry life ,and if you miss iphone 5 size but want iphone 6 screen ? You ll be right at home with the z3_compact

motog2

Sounds like the same debate between Windows and Mac. My Windows friends complain about not being able to customize a Mac. Apple is NOT for tinkerers. If you’re a tinkerer, then use Linux. Android is Linux based. There’s a bit of irony that Kellex uses a Mac Pro for his desktop/tower instead of Windows that has more customization than Mac OS X. That said, probably the best review of the iPhone 6 that I’ve seen. It basically comes down to personal preferences. I use MacOS X, Windows 7 (hated Vista and 8!), Linux (Ubuntu and Debian), Chrome OS, iOS, and Android. I enjoy each of their strengths and deal with each of their shortcomings. As much as I like Apple, I’m going with Android for my personal smartphone. I can get an unlocked Moto G for much less than an iPhone, Nexus, or Galaxy! It’ll do what I need a phone to do for me.

sliverz

Kellex hates apple more than samsung now? Wow. I bet the screens are not as good as the new notes

kld2009

Hear hear!

Lary

The reason that you are puzzled by the fandom surrounding iPhone is because you’re looking at the wrong place. Fandom is not just generated through products. They can be generated by other things that are not visible from just the product itself. Fandom is a social phenomenon and how it is created and generated is not inherent in qualities that are part of a physical product such as an iPhone.

Jitin

Can you do a similar review for Windows Phone?

Starman_Andromeda

Well, rather than read through 400+ comments! I thought I’d offer a suggestion to the “reviewer”. I thought it was a thorough review, nicely written, and worthwhile in giving a reasonably fair appraisal of a competing system phone.

However, there are several places where the depiction of what can and can’t be done with an iPhone or iPad is just plain wrong! The misstatements are egregious and misleading–and will lead astray people who were thinking of switching! My suggestion comes at the end…

You wrote:

“Apple has decided that all settings will be controlled from a central Settings application.”

Simply not true. Developers can put their settings within their apps and, in fact, most do!

“Each app has its own settings menu within Settings”

Again, not true. Only if a developer wishes to do so will there be any settings there!

NOTIFICATIONS

You complain that each app has its own Notification settings, but that’s actually an incredibly valuable feature–it permits much needed customization! (“Hey, I thought Apple didn’t any permit customization!” ” And that Android OSs were always more flexible!” More myths debunked.)

“Before iOS 8, your apps couldn’t talk to each other.”

Well, that’s weird! :-). We do not have iOS 8 installed; indeed, one of our devices has iOS 5! Others have 6 and 7. Guess what?! Repeatedly, I have options to open files in my choice of apps; to access my camera roll or stored photos; etc.

So, that’s another blatant error. There are others, but I’ll stop here.

I’m sure that these mistakes were not deliberate, but rather due to a lack of experience and unfamiliarity with the OS.

SUGGESTION

My suggestion–even a challenge– is for you to invite one of the leading iOS bloggers or website columnists to read your column and write a response to it. This would be a marvelous point-counterpoint exposé of the issues involved. It would serve your readers well, as opposed to simply living in their silos :-), repeating unwarranted slogans and mistruths about the other “side”!

abazigal

Sharing options were far more limited pre-ios8. For example, if I wanted to upload a photo to pinterest, I had to take the photo, then open pinterest, access that particular photo, and upload it. With ios8, it is more streamlined – you should be able to take a photo from the lockscreen directly, add some edits (say using an app like afterlight), then share to pinterest from the photos app directly.

Same if I wanted to save a Safari article to Pocket. Previously, I had to use a bookmarklet to email the document to Pocket. Now, I just share to Pocket from the share sheet directly, which makes more sense and is more streamlined.

I also agree that the settings section seems to be getting more crowded and convoluted to navigate. There are many settings which seem to have been shoved into sections they don’t belong simply because there is nowhere else to park them.

By and large, while I don’t always agree with what the reviewer has said (and I say this as a primary Apple user who spends a lot of time butting heads with Apple critics on forums like Cnet), I acknowledge his concerns as valid. He accurately states how Apple has chosen to implement certain features like united notification settings, then goes on to elaborate why he doesn’t like the way it has been done – which is reasonable. The author is entitled to his own opinion. and I appreciate that he can at least be civil and polite about it.

Dyan_Branielson

Maybe, just maybe, Kellen acknowledges the points that have been most striking – for an iOS Newbie. I don’t expect a 100% correct review from a person who has used a platform for just two weeks. No, on the contrary, if these are the things that are super obvious to someone new, then maybe Apple sould work on them.

Vtmetal

Ios and iPhones are forever off my list unless they true user freedom. In used to own iPhones and pads. The Steve jobs mentality of “our way or No way” was the last straw for me. For me the problem is that company philosophy. In an era where gov. Is in our business constantly, I don’t need a Corp. Telling me How to use the overpriced device I just bought. I recently moved from Samsung notes to the LG g3-best phone yet, imho. The g3 isn’t the best at everything but it does everything well and is probably the most intuitive phone I’ve used. Also,in a world of sheep, I tend to favor the wolf.

abazigal

This very attitude, while likely responsible for driving away used like yourself, has also been successful in attracting millions of other users to the iOS platform.

Apple is just one of many companies, and so must be very clear and conscious of what they should do (and shouldn’t do), so they don’t end up spreading themselves too thin or deviate from their core competencies.

Apple users are no sheep, nor are you the wolf you claim to be (or at best, you are simply following a different Shepard). Please get off your high horse.

ibasilico

iOS and iPhone for me are the best!

Pat

I think this is a very fair review that mirrors a lot of my thought on iOS. The only place I differ in opinion is on certain apps. My son has some educational needs and 80 of the apps are only available on iOS. I really have no idea why this is so. I caved and bought a iPad mini retina just for the handful he needs. I am not a developer by any means but do you have any insight why many educational apps are only available on iOS? Is it easier to write code? Is the development pay structure different? If I were a developer I think I would write for Android first even only for the large potential customer base at 80% or greater of smartphone users.

Jonathan

I don’t find the charging cable for Android phones to be an issue. I just make a mental note of which way the sticker at the device end of the charging cable faces when it’s plugged in and when I pick it up it’s either facing the correct way or I give the cable a half-turn while moving it to the charging port. Easy 🙂

abazigal

The lightning cable has proven useful when I want to charge my phone in the dark. Simply align the head to the charging port and push it in, no need to fuss about whether it is properly aligned or not. 🙂

Dyan_Branielson

Qi has also proven very useful when charging in the dark. 😉

Jonathan

My technique works flawlessly as well. So congrats. Your iPhone is equal to any of my Android-based phones in that respect.

Starzz

I too think this was a fair review. I own iPhone, iPad, MacBook but also Galaxy Note. Originally I did not like the lack of customization on the iPhone – however I spend most of my deep computing on real computers with big displays. I soon realized I wanted my phone to just work. When I had an Andriod phone, I did customize it a few times and then never changed it again after the novelty wore off. That limitation baked into iPhone is probably what gives it a constant predictable experience across all users. I had loaded Andriod apps that totally messed with the system, causing deep confusion and poor performance. So I think from a smartphone point of view – just working in a solid fashion is the top priority for me. Also the iPhone’s ability to select what an app can do with my phone seems much better and less confusing than Andriod. If I don’t want an app to use my GPS or get notifications – simple enough to turn those off. My memory of trying to do that in Andrioid was simply giving up – maybe that has changed for the better (not so on my Galaxy). Next the total Eco system, as the article noted, is really great across all devices. And like it or hate it – the AppStore has much less malware than Google Play (a horrible name for their store by the way). I agree 100% on the sound issue too. On my iPad I can mute the device and the keyboard still clicks – what is up with that? The fix noted byIOS users is to disable keyboard sounds – but do that each time you mute, really. I also see why someone would prefer the Andriod, it would be nice to be able to load an applet on the home screen that had weather or news – but single pressing an icon isn’t so bad for the enhanced reliability/performance. As strange as it may sound, the first time I picked up an iPhone I felt the “solidness” of the device both in the hardware and software experience.

If you’re hearing keyboard clicks after muting the device, let me know your iPad model number, carrier if it’s a cellular model, and iOS version number and build (the build’s next to the number in Settings > General > About) and I’ll file a bug report as best I can for you if you’d like

– Android’s customisability: yes, you can fully customise Control Centre toggles, including hotspot and screen timeout toggles (Polus/CCControls matches or even surpasses Power Toggles, I’ve used both)
– Android’s flexibility: full file system access (iFile), drag and drop capabilities & app side loading (iFunBox), downloading from within Safari, custom gestures (Activator is easily as robust as any Android counterpart)

Widgets are largely overrated (I only miss the music and Evernote widgets from Android). I don’t even need a weather widget, because it appears in my Status Bar – a way better implementation IMO then having to swipe to any home page to view the weather. And heck, I can even replace Siri with Google Now if I wanted to.

The only things I miss from my Android phone are a pretty home screen music widget with album art (Musiex comes close, but nope…), a widget to display an image, an Evernote widget that displays my latest 4-5 notes, PushBullet notification mirroring, and a clear all button in Notification Centre.

The only problem… waiting for it on iOS8. Trust me, the wait can be excruciating.

I’ve used both platforms extensively, but more often than not, I reach for my jailbroken iPhone 4S running 7.1.2 over my Note 3 running Nova on top of KitKat.

Dyan_Branielson

Jailbreak isn’t an argument. Same goes for root. “Your phone doesn’t work? Root it.” That’s not the point. Especially for the normal consumer. Phones should work perfectly out of the box, without gambling with the warranty.

Christopher Columbus

It sounds like this writer was jealous of the iPhone and is clearly an Android fanboy. He got to test out the iPhone for a week so he decided to disguise his jealousy as a “unbiased review” for attention and to reaffirm and justify his purchase of an Android phone. But you can still smell the bias in the article with certain comments here and there.

Total exaggerations of certain things in iOS he tries to turn into major inconveniences while making it sound simple on Android.

I came from Android and had a Galaxy S3. The Android OS is a MESS and the entire interface just feels clunky and unorganized. The settings menu on android is way worse than iOS as well. Having to have apps on a home screen and then an “app drawer” that requires an extra tap and swipes. Widgets that look ugly on a home screen and don’t serve any real purpose. iOS now has Notification Center widgets which serve more purpose and don’t clutter your home screen.

iOS settings make me feel in control. Android settings feels like I’m changing Windows settings. Not intuitive and it changes based on the device or Android version you’re using

How about some consistency with Android? Every damn phone uses different versions of Android with different themes over it. The settings menu changes constantly.

When an iPhone user gets an iPhone everything is where they expect it. Using it is natural because the general idea of iOS remains the same and simply gets more refined and convenient. I never have to “learn” how to use the phone. I know how to use it. Even new features I know how they’ll work before they are available because I know how Apple would do things.

Android L is a step in the right direction. But the fragmentation and ugly design of Androids interface has not changed one iota.

Dyan_Branielson

Oh gosh, a writer for DROID LIFE has sympathies for Android. Good Lord! Jailbreak, ugly, fragmentation, different UI yada yada yada. Nothing to see here.

Christopher Columbus

Stopped reading the article when you showed your ignorance when discussing the design. The camera protrudes on most android phones. Most users also put a case on their iPhone which lets it lay flat. The camera lens is also sapphire so the idea of it scratching is ridiculous. You’ve clearly never owned an iPhone before.

The decision was obvious. Either put a weaker camera in it and have it be flat or give us an amazing camera and have it protrude. They made the right choice because of what I said before. Most people use cases which also fix the “slippery” issue you speak of. The leather apple case is amazingly nice and feels luxurious in your hand.

iOS used to be behind android but iOS 8 just blew it out of the water. The experience is so smooth and non bloated like Android and new features like widgets, control center, better messaging, multitasking, and much better mobile browser. Now it’s got the larger screens so there’s nothing left that they are missing.

The design of this phone grows on you. Just like any other iPhone design seemed strange at first. You called the iPhone 5 beautiful. Android fanboys and even apple fans called the aluminum with glass pieces ugly when it came out too. Everyone said it looked too tall and the 4S all glass design was better.

Now the iPhone 5 and 5S is considered beautiful and you’re saying the 6 is too tall and ugly.

Guarantee the iPhone 6S there will be technology available to make the same camera in a thinner profile so it’ll sit flush again. It wasn’t available in time for launch clearly. They will also refine the new design as usual and in a year we will see an amazing phone that is unbeatable.

Anytime they make a new design people refuse to accept it at first and then it becomes the best design. I love my iPhone 6 and originally thought my 5S looked nicer. Now I’m loving this big screen.

You’re saying things like its fact but it’s really just your opinion. State it as such.

“silos” were created to insure that application are sandboxed and thus, greatly reduces risks associated with malware. Agreed android lets developers do whatever the want, talk to other apps, or control them, traditional file system, etc. with Android having Java at its core, it has a huge staple of malware ready to be released into the wild with minor modifications.

Apple could’ve done the same, but they chose to implement these features with a great deal of caution.

carlisimo

Great review.

I do feel there’s still a difference with apps – even when the same app is available in both stores, the iOS one is often better. eBay is an example. Sometimes even the Google apps seem better on iOS. And then there are the apps that aren’t on both stores – I’d say iOS still has better PDF readers/managers (like GoodReader), and if you like turn-based games it’s like a freaking golden age on that side of the fence.

A very correct review except for one thing that is your comment about Bing which I think is very outdated, having been continuously using bing for the past one year I can say that Bing is equal if not better than Google in most things. Image search, video searches are better than Google and you also don’t get Google+ biased results.

sski66

Like apples upgraded os maybe androids L will see a boost in battery life in many of androids phones.

You will not find a more fair assessment of the iPhone 6 then Kellen’s review here. He highlighted the good, like the camera and the battery, and the display to a degree, but made it very clear that the overall experience leaves him, and us wanting. I will never understand why people wait in ridiculous lines for these. They’re not the status symbol they once were. Certainly not with the likes of Samsung, LG, Moto, HTC, and hell I’ll throw in Sony because of the Z3. All of them have models that put the 6 to shame. Anyway, I gotta talk off point. Kellen deserves a lot of credit for not thrashing apple when he could have. Well done sir.

Johnny f

He gets confused with the mute and volume buttons!?!?
It seems like the simplest smart phone on the market causes an overbearing amount of confusion to the author.
Ok he is far too ignorant for anyone to give his review any weight.

Dyan_Branielson

What does it say about “the simplest smart phone on the market” if a tech-savy reviewer doesn’t get Apple’s batshit insane volume controls? Not that great, I guess.

Me Me

Same thought here on the design of the iP6 (not the plus) that it is the ugliest I’ve seen. I had the iP4s and I actually like that body style better. The iP6+ is a tad better than the iP6. I checked out both iPhones in the store and as I set my eyes on the iP6, I was like WTF Apple?

stayflyer

Great review I felt the same way when I had the iphone 6 plus. I really didn’t like the keyboard switch that didn’t work I would jump in one app it would be SwiftKey then jump in another it would be stock, its just confusing. The settings are ridiculous, everything you want to change has to b done in that one area not in each app.

theemptyhead

For how much apple bought you? Very nice way to brainwash people. Bragging about apple and saying android lags tells a lot if this is a biased article or not. and not mentioning the most key features of latest high end android devices that iphones lacks. Aren’t you supposed to highlight those features too.
IPhone can’t live without computer and iTunes. Note3 can live without computer and doesn’t need to be tied up in any kind of eco system.
This blogger just sold his soul to apple. That’s what i feel.

Dyan_Branielson

Weh weh weh. Go home, crybaby.

Tony Fannin

Good article. I appreciate your open-mindedness and research approach and understand your opinion of the short comings in the iPhone 6. As for me, Apple makes my professional life so much easier (I’m in advertising and the bulk of my work is graphic design, web design and video). The completely integrated eco-system of Apple across all of my devices and lap top allows me to create, produce and show our work seamlessly. Though I consider myself a fan, and not a fanboy, I appreciate why others prefer other platforms. As for me, the integrated Apple platform is great to work on.

abazigal

I agree with the app store. It has become a horrible, bloated mess where I can never find the apps I want. I find myself relying more on blogs like Macstories and Toucharcade to discover new apps to try out (which is a problem in itself, because even these outfits cannot cover every app in existence). I wish Apple would do periodic purges to keep the app count more sane. Something like sift out the obviously useless or crappy apps and delete them every few months or something.

budlee

I like this review. Its like how iOS users saying Android has a learning curve, it shows that iOS does too, but steep one once you get to the menus. One thing I did not like about iOS when it first came out in 2007 is that you can’t bluetooth files to other non iOS phone, unless there is an app back then that I did not know of. Still even today, I wonder if the NFC enable Iphone 6 allows you to transfer file to other non iOS phones. Those are the little things, other than micro SD card for my photos, videos and music that won’t get me stirred to be a full time iOS user.

Vale

Sucked right? Once you in…you are locked in. Really feels like a cage. Lol

abazigal

It’s not as bad as Apple haters make it out to be. I started with a 4s, am on a 5s now, and see myself using Apple products for a good many years to come. The Apple ecosystem does have some nice things going for it. For example, back in 2012 when I was searching for a screen mirroring option for my classroom, the Apple TV presented itself as the most viable alternative. I didn’t start out going all-in with the Apple ecosystem, but circumstances led to me choosing all Apple products, and it’s actually working pretty well for me. 🙂

Afton

As someone who has used both as basic, stock devices, Android gets the edge. Over the air everything, tons of compatibility, and expandable memory. Open source and hundreds of thousands of apps, most for free. No need to enter an ID to download load items and fewer cracked screens. Also, my Galaxy S5 is waterproof. The option to make a ring tone on the phone in 5 seconds or use of Zedge compared to iPhone is a win all by itself. Anyone who willingly chooses iPhone over Android would never understand what a great phone really is capable of, even in its STOCK format.

Vale

Got to say this is one very fair and well written article. By Apple’s standards, the design quality for the new iPhone is poor. A camera bump is a no no in this modern day. The Bendgate saga also points to the poor design. But tis Apple, if they coat poo will aluminium and call it iPoo, folks will still line up for it. Just don’t understand some fellas.

Tony

iMessage isn’t an app, its the default messaging app. When you go to text someone, if that person has an iphone, your phone is automatically smart enough to send that “text” over data/imessage rather than SMS. Im surprised google hasn’t come up with anything like that yet. With hangouts you still have to open up a separate app and people still have to register for it.

abazigal

I thought hangouts allows for SMS integration? Not sure if it is for Nexus phones only, but I definitely recall reading about the feature somewhere.

Vale

Yeah you are right, it does. And its not exclusive to Nexus devices.

Vale

You do know that Hangouts can be set as the default messaging app. And when u say iMessage isn’t an app but the default messaging “app” we don’t follow.

CoreRooted

Here is my issue with iMessage: My texts are already stored by my carrier (and the carrier of the person I am texting). When iMessage kicks in, then those texts are stored on Apple’s cloud. Now, personally, I don’t care, tbh. I don’t text anything that would compromise my own security (or the person I am texting). However, people DO care about privacy in this day and age and I don’t blame them one bit. So, which is the less evil? Apple or our carriers or neither? I’m going with the latter.

They are indeed, alongside SMS and MMS messages, but if you don’t like the idea of uploading messages to iCloud, you can always back up to a computer or just not back up at all.

abazigal

Am I the only one who think it makes sense for unified notifications? Say I want to change the way my apps notify me. It seems easier to just go into settings where I can change a bunch of them all at one go, rather than hop in and out of multiple, separate apps altering them.

Vale

That’s where individual customizations are handy. So if I got a million apps, a unified Settings centre provides me with toggles for all of my million apps or what? In Android, you download an app and naturally just walk into its settings and customize it as you wish. I mean it just feels natural to do that from the app itself. Its synonymous to saying if I wanted to change the paint on the walls in one of the rooms, its logical to do that from a unified paint centre. Walk into the room and paint.

abazigal

What if I want to change for more than one app at a time? Say I want to change the notifications for phone, SMS and whatsapp. For iOS, it just means flicking 3 toggles in the notifications section of the settings app. For Android, would this mean I have to launch phone, drive into the notifications section, change it, switch to SMS, repeat, then do the same for Whatsapp?

What iOS has done is consolidate some of the settings (most notably location services, background app refresh and notifications) while the rest are available in the app itself. I dunno, it just seems more convenient that way.

Vale

May I ask how often you would wanna change the notification sounds, for instance, on those 3 apps? Everyday? Let’s even say it is everyday, because each app’s notification is independent of any other, I have the choice to select any sound I wish for any individual app. More like having a unique tone for a few select callers. I hear a tone and know I got a mail, another a whatsapp and so on. I can thereon decide not to check my mail until later and that means no need picking up my phone to see what I just received not until i’m ready. And its not like I have to change these everyday really. Pick a tone that suits u and go with it. That’s all right?

immovableobject

The protruding camera lens, ugliness of the back panel, excessive thinness, lightness and slipperiness are all easily addressed by putting the phone in a protective case (a good idea in general). As is typical with iPhones, there are a mind-boggling number of choices to allow for personal taste.

Vale

The iPhone was supposedly crafted to be admired as an item of beauty. So why hide all that because of imperfections and errors on the part of the manufacturer. I mean you fellas pay a lot for these devices. That should demand quality. I feel its rather irresponsible for Tim Cook to just blurt out saying anyone with a bent phone should go out and get a case. So what if I don’t want a case for my phone. That’s the issue: Apple tells you how much to buy the phone and directs you on how to use the phone, what you can see and what you can’t and so on. I mean I thought we all are in a democracy….

abazigal

Even in a democracy, people aren’t free to do everything they want either. Plus, just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.

At any rate, I am on the 5s, and have one year to wait and observe to see how well the iphone6 holds up to everyday usage. I don’t use a case on my 5s, and I hope I won’t have to for my 6s. 🙂

Vale

Rightly so, but in a democracy it doesn’t feel cagey, with iOS it kinda does – they just want you so locked in and many of you are. Maybe iPhone users should be called Androids (literally).

abazigal

Not really. To quote one of my favourite phrases in M:TG, “All humans can be herded. The trick is making them think they choose their own destiny”. 😛

But on a more serious note, the iPhone simply represents one of many choices of smartphone available to a consumer today. And for the people who don’t really customise their phones anyways, and like the tight-knit integration Apple devices offer, it’s actually a pretty good deal.

So people do have a choice. Either go iPhone, or not. 🙂

Vale

To follow with your quote, Androids it is (literally). Lol.

immovableobject

I was responding to the reviewer’s specific criticisms. A case seems like an elegant solution.

Did Tim cook really tell people with bent iPhones to buy a case? It’s not a bad idea, but missed that. It sounds like something Steve Jobs might say. I did read that he offered to replace any iPhones that were defective.

Plenty of people seem to have no problem with Apple’s design decisions. If you aren’t one of them, no one is forcing you to buy an iPhone. No product is going to please everyone. Peace.

Vale

Thank Heavens we live in a world of numerous choices. I’ve always applauded Apple for their design and attention to detail for the iPhone. I mean it was an industry standard. But with the 6, it kinda feels like a miss. Take the bending issue (which has been brushed aside as a non issue), tis simple: its metal, make it thin enough and long at the same time and it will bend under applied force. If this was from a cheap manufacturer we can excuse that flaw but coming from Apple….hmmmm. Like you’ve stated, we lucky we got choices.

Destroythanet

“I do not personally know many iPhone users, so I haven’t even touched the app.” So Kellen, if you don’t really know many iPhone users in real life, who are all these “obnoxious” iPhone users who use it “as a prop to help you look down upon people who don’t own one.” Sorry, buddy, but I honestly think a LOT of Apple haters love to generalize iPhone users based on hipster stereotypes that certainly don’t constitute the majority of the iPhone’s huge fan base.

Nicolas Finn

True, but a lot of Android haters love to generalize Android users based on techie/nerdie stereotypes that certainly don’t constitute the majority of Android’s huge USER (not fan) base.

You act as though no Android user just likes a functional device, without having to modify their phones and that they all prefer making it a point that Android is so much more customizable. I know PLENTY of Android users who have a “Galaxy” and just love the look and feel, just like I know plenty of iPhone users who like iPhone because it’s “more stable”.

In fact, I know one iPhone user who equates the iPhone to a Toyota Corolla (lightweight, stable, reliable, etc) and Android phones to sports cars (you can do whatever you want, but it’s nowhere near as reliable as an iPhone). I wholeheartedly disagree with these statements, and I think they come from the same ridiculous mentality as Mac/PC users (I now own a Macbook after years of thinking they were nowhere near worth the price).

cizzlen

Definitely agreed. If you have any friends and family in general, you can almost bet half of them are using iPhones. Most of my friends and family have been using them for years, I’m the one who joined the bandwagon. And yes, the stereotype is insanely overblown.

theemptyhead

The most important fact you didn’t said is the ability of usb otg. I take pictures from my Canon dslr camera then via usb otg i transfer all my pictures to note 3. Connect printers and print and scan documents (printers that don’t support wifi). Transfer files from usb pendrive. Connect full sized keyboard. Everything can be done without using computer.
For iphone you need your computer and iTunes. IPhone cannot live by itself. Whereas my note 3 don’t need computer and can live as a standalone device. And that the reason apple has good ecosystem because without it iphone is useless but my note3 does not need any ecosystem at all.
I can still go on talking about s-pen, multitasking, splitscreen etc etc. The list of things that makes make note3 better than iphone is just too long.
This video is just a comparison between iphone and moto x. When you said android lags when scrolling homescreen pages, you blew me off. May be it’s your moto x lags. My note 3 doesn’t lag.
I was an iphone user for more than 4 years. And then i switched to note 3. Never been happier. Love the freedom i got with android.
Peace.

paul_cus

Apple’s vision for Android pretty much sums it up. Well put.

shamatuu

Good to know that you made a good call based on your preference. That is why i don’t like iphones for me because of these reasons. “It’s obvious that Apple has created an experience that they feel is the best for everyone, except they forgot about the tinkerers of the world and those of us who want ultimate control, who want to customize a phone’s experience, and who don’t want to be told that their phone should be used a certain way” What he said.

Squirrel Meat

As a person who likes apple products over all, I am not mad at all at this review, it is more than fair and forth right. I’ll still choose a i6 when my contract is up but this was a decent opposition piece I’d refer to if the need arises.

Destroythanet

As a gadget and tech junkie that has owned multiple Android phones and iPhones and hates fanboys on both sides, this review imo is pretty much dead on. There is a lot to like about the iPhone 6, but ultimately, I’m reaching for my Note 3 as my go-to phone over my 6. And as for the 6 Plus that I used for over a week, well let’s just say it’s on Swappa right now lol.

hjack2111

as a recent iphone 6 owner coming for 4 years of Android phones I completely agree with this review on most points I actually like the design it looks more like the OG iphone just really thin. the App store is a garbage compared to the play store functionality wise its horrible. the back button thing yeah totally agree Im always looking for the back button. all of my main apps like Gmail ,chrome maps Google music and movies all are kind of tied together once you install on your logged in to all and they interact with one another. All that said I like not having to worry about charging it or camera performance and every app is there so for the meantime i’m sticking with it for right now

As a pro-Apple guy, I want to say this was a great review. Not an Apple-bashing review, but rather, just a guy who explains why he prefers Android. Kudos!

Cruz R.

This article made the Yahoo News Digest. Read the article early today and found it again on Yahoo’s main page.

Ryan

A great review and I am new to this site but this is been one of the more fair comparision reviews I’ve read in a long time. I currently have the LG G3 (before that, the GS4) and also have an iPad and I feel this review is very spot on. For one, the app store section he talked about is accurate and when doing searches, Google wins. And maybe this is just me but does anyone else who has an iPad or iPhone feel like the apps are getting more “cartoon and child” like? I just feel like I’m browsing through an app store for kids. I dunno, maybe it’s just me.
I was considering switching back to the 6+ because I do miss features like Facetime and iMessage (everyone in my family has iPhones so those 2 features were used daily and were nice to have) but I like Android so much I just don’t think I could handle going back. I like custom launchers and icon packs and switch up my homescreen monthly. I did miss the camera and quick responseness of the iOS software but it doesn’t justify switching back.
Anyone else who has recently switched back to iPhone from Android have any thoughts? Again, I still use an iPad (4th gen) so I know exactly what iOS8 has to offer but the pros don’t outweigh the cons for me to switch back.

Richard

Just get the phone you like. I think its great we have a choices between iOS or android. If you like to tinker,customize and make your phone what you want it to be, then go with Android. If you like a simple experience and easy to use phone, go with iOS. You gotta give it up to apple for being the only smartphone maker that WILL NOT ALLOW any carrier to add bloatware to their devices. Or having the carriers decide when phones can recieve OS updates to smartphones. And apple fans have to thank android for making big screen phones, becuase now apple has big screen phones too. All this competition is good for us, the consumer WINS.

Destroythanet

Well said. Agreed.

cizzlen

Absolutely. Competition is the best thing for consumers. Most importantly it just comes down to your preference, which for me this time around is Apple.

Grayson

Is that last camera sample at Lake Tahoe? Looks like what you see coming in on i-50. Love it there.

Drome

Long time android fanatic here. My company recently made me trade in my nexus 5 to get an iphone 6 for work email purposes. I must agree with this review besides the physical design comments. I think the design isnt that bad (for an iphone) besides the camera sticking out and physical home button (would prefer the three on screen android buttons). The phone is very consistent and does everything in a manner that is high quality and performance. It is just a very basic and boring phone that lacks in customization. I will say though this is the most android like iphone ever made. Having a 4.7 inch screen, semi multitasking and swype makes me feel a lot more at home on it than I expected to be. After a few weeks of using an iphone, i view it as utilitarian and not something that I want to pick up and play with. I cant continue to tweak, hack, rom or root it to be the perfect phone for me. Great smartphone for the masses, but if it had all on screen buttons and this thing ran android L i would be over the moon with it.

alberteezy

Kellen is Samsung’s display still the one to beat or are you giving it to the iPhone? I do like what Apple did with the floating display type thing but i don’t think its the best, but definetly a really good display!

HiRez

I’m an iPhone user and I love my 6 Plus, but I thought this was a very fair review with a lot of good points made. Well done.

morteum

I just got my first iPad and am using my first Mac through my job. I actually enjoy the Mac quite a bit. I wouldn’t describe it as exponentially better than my custom PC running Windows 7, but it’s better than my Windows 8 laptop.

ANYWAY, using iOS on the iPad was amusing for a week, and then I found myself using my Nexus 7 again. I’ll admit that was partially due to the weight difference of a full sized iPad and the thin and light Nexus, but for the most part I found iOS to be pretty unappealing. Exiting out of apps and going back to the folder was annoying, the animations were slow enough to be irritating, and I actually don’t love the design in a lot of areas. Translucencies just don’t do it for me, and some of the app designs seemed uglier than Android to me for whatever reason.

It’s a slightly older iPad running iOS 7.1, so it stuttered plenty. I’m sure the new high end hardware doesn’t do it as much, but is it worth paying that much if its just going to slow down after a couple years like every other device?

I actually don’t hate the home button, even without Touch ID. I think Kellen was being somewhat pedantic when he was describing multitasking with the home button. Yes, it is two clicks instead of one touch, but the speed difference is negligible to me. I might only feel that way because my Nexus is running a PA beta, so the multitasking experience has been less than desirable. Multitasking is best on my unrooted Moto X, but it occasionally stutters during the transition, and sometimes does this weird thing where I touch the most recent app but it opens up an app at the top of my task list. That’s super annoying. But, provided those things don’t happen, it is my best multitasking experience.

I really really really hate having to clear every notification in the notification shade individually. I also had the same difficulties as Kellen regarding having old notifications pile up.

I also find the App Jukebox thing pretty dumb. I like my homescreens setup in a very specific way. I’m not into theming much, but I like my widgets and apps to look organized and where I want them. Having every app in my face all the time is pretty dumb, and I’m not a fan of having everything in folders. That just makes more steps and it doesn’t look good. I only use a couple folders here and there on my Moto X.

This turned into a much longer comment than I had anticipated. I had to go format it just so it wasn’t a wall of text.

AppToday1

In the old days people would customize alert sounds, fonts, colors and even thickness of your desktop windows on a computer. Most people only customize their desktop background image nowadays. That’s Apple’s target market.

Bryant

IPhone is a great phone period. It boils down to preference and the ‘I must tinker with every setting’ crowd will prefer Android. Sure this review is a little skewed but always welcome Android fanboy perspective.

To be fair Android owes its existence to iOS. Originally Android was to be a clone of BB until iOS came out and was completely revamped. For now Android is the most popular mobile OS because Apple doesn’t license iOS out though I know companies that produce Android phones are not happy having to pay M$, TI, and others licensing fees so I wonder if Tizen will ever catch on as an alternative.

hike15

I’m really excited about the Xperia review that is upcoming. I actually haven’t heard much about the phone yet so I’m curious to see what Sony has in store. As for the iPhone, this review basically sums everything up. Great camera, great battery, and the pretty good performance. It doesn’t surprise me why so many non tech people buy them, being so simple to use (as long as you don’t care about the settings) and very reliable. What I can’t figure out is why any techie would want one or why people just have to have an iPhone. I respect it, but just think there’s a lot missing.

puddlejumper32

Oh come on now this is a Apple fan site. I’ve never had a problem with my battery and I’m a heavy user. My m8 is just as fast as the iPhone 6.

BlackTiger

Great review! I usually skim through review but yours was very fair I read the whole thing. Just couple of point I would like to make
1) the setting has two sections. The general settings and the app specific settings. The latter I almost never touch because you can do the same from within the app.
2) working in IT security field, I like the fact the IOS vet all the apps before they are publish in the app store.

Again your review is excellent and very fair.

aaron

Why would I buy a phone that bends??

Kevin

He’s reviewing the 6, not the 6 Plus. Granted, I wouldn’t buy EITHER of them but still it’s only the 6 Plus that’s bendy.

BlackTiger

I like bendy 🙂

Kevin

I like bendy when it’s a woman. 😛

CPA01

You mean the LG Flex that can also self repair its back?

Or the Apple Bendgate?

Kevin N

Nice review. I wish Android could give up a better camera. My G3 takes pretty good pics but could always be better. Thx

bosluk

What an impressive review!!! Probably the very best and fair review at all. Thank you so much….

Finire

I’ve got to say this is the most objective review of an iPhone I have ever read. I am impressed by it, and appreciate the comparisons.

hoopingandscooping

This is a reasonable review, but it suffers from a lot of I miss this from my Android phone, or this is not the way I’m used to doing X or Y, or why can’t it work like this or that.

The only fair way to do this would be to find the one or two people who haven’t used a.smart phone or the one person who uses a Windows phone.

Chippah

MY NAME IS RON AND I APPROVE THIS REVIEW

PhineasJW

Great review. Gotta say, the battery life is amazing for an 1800mAh battery. I’m wondering what percentage of that is due to the scarcity of background apps and location requests vs. OS optimization. No question that Google Now is burning some battery life, but that can’t be the whole story. Hopefully ART and project Volta bring some substantial improvements…

Also have to wonder how they’re only stuffing an 1800mAh battery in a phone of that size. Surely there’s room for more — hell, with a 3,000 mAh battery they could be hammering Android on battery life, and have a phone that could easily last 2 or 3 solid two days. Instead — Samsung is hammering the Apple wall-huggers. Very interesting!

timrcm

One point you made about the design bothered me – and that’s your claim that the camera lense is ‘asking to get scratched’.

It’s a sapphire lense. Unless you’re frequently dropping your phone in to piles of diamonds, it isn’t going to get scratched. Ever.

Beyond that, though, yeah – it looks terrible, it doesn’t allow the phone to lay flat, and it was just a piss poor design choice all around. But I don’t think we’ll be hearing about it getting scratched very often (if ever).

Kellen, BGR must be watching DL. Does this mean you are main stream now?

Wilsonian

That was the best, most honest iPhone review I’ve ever read. (try reading the iMore review and see if you can keep your lunch down – dude, get a room!) And you touched on so many things that I agree with 110%. There are things to like, especially the camera. I wish I could get that experience on my Android phone. And there are things to really dislike. One of the single most annoying things is the volume issue. You CANNOT change the alarm volume. Why? No reason other than Apple says you can’t. Or that if you have your phone set to vibrate for calls, it has to vibrate on your alarm, too. Try turning your volume down before bed, missing your alarm in the morning because it was now turned down, too – and then being late for work. Good work Apple. Thank you for this review and further backing me on my life with Android.

hhy2k

You can’t change the alarm volume so you will wake up for sure. I can see this as a well though over design decision. No, we will not give them the option, so the iPhone will wake them up, no matter what settings they change. You can adjust the “volume” by selecting different wake up sounds, like the increasing volume kind.

WickedToby741

I never understood how people could call this OS intuitive.

Patrick Smithopolis

I think it has to do with your experience. I know Android inside and out and it’s relatively easy for me to navigate around the OS but I’m somewhat lost when using an iPhone. I’m so use to the way Android does things that it seems as though iOS is less intuitive. You also have to remember that a lot of iOS users don’t tweak anything so they don’t encounter the problems you and I have.

CPA01

But at the same time, really easy stuff to do on Windows and Android is hard as **** on iOS.

The whole silo thing in iOS is obnoxious. As it file movements between platforms. I personally like my Dell tablet because it runs full Windows and I simply don’t have file format problems. iOS…good luck.

Jimneezy

Kellen literally said what I felt about the iPhone 6 word for word, its almost damn near scary. Just today I returned my iPhone 6 after 2 weeks and exchanged it for an LG G3 and man does it feel good to be back. iPhone is an ok phone but there is too much compromise especially for the price. Heck I even saved $150 in the process and I can do whatever I want with Android as opposed to iOS….now just patiently waiting for the Nexus 6

BrandonWhite116

Great review. Will Tim be doing a Note 4 review once it’s released?

Liderc

Very well written review, and honest, which is just unheard of.

Nice job Kellen and it’s about what I expected. I’m suggesting the iPhone 6 to my parents, as I always have since they need a dumb smart phone.

Pawan Dubey

Umm, great review but,

Bing is pretty good at searching stuff. Not as good as google, but certainly better than any other search engine, including Yahoo!.

Pro Tip: Try searching for porn on Bing. 😛

R Jones

Excellent… I can’t wait to get my iPhone 6!

Casey Puyleart

Having been forced to use an iPad air for work for the past several months (and a long time Android user), I would say this review pretty much echos every complaint (and the few praises) I’ve had for the platform. The absence of the back button is maddening at times, I’ve turned off almost all notifications due to their uselessness, and I almost spit coffee on my screen when I saw the “Apple Crap” folder (mine is called iCrap).

Gideon Waxfarb

So, the iPhone 6 has fast performance, excellent battery life, fantastic camera, 64gb+ storage options (I would settle for 32), and it’s small enough that it will fit comfortably in small pockets.

Now, which Android phone has all of this?

epps720

Z3 Compact has all of this except for the 64gb storage though it does have an SD Card slot. Z3 also has waterproofing, front facing speakers, “wireless” charging (really magnetic but similar)

Gideon Waxfarb

Unfortunately, the storage limitation is a deal-breaker. I’m not paying top-dollar for a high-end smartphone with 16gb of storage in 2014. At least not until/unless Google unf-ks the ‘move to SD card’ situation. It’s really too bad, because the rest of the phone is pretty much perfect. Oh, except for Sony purposely bricking the camera when you unlock it.

Guest

LG G2

cocamoxb

+1 LG G2

I’m 6’2″ which may contribute. It is hands down the best phone I’ve played with, used, or even previewed. I’m a primary business user but it out performs daily.

Trysta

Thanks for this review. It is a good reminder that the grass is not always greener. I was seriously considering a move to the iPhone in the future but considerations both here and elsewhere about the OS have me reconsidering. I love android but the ecosystem and hardware can sometimes be frustrating.

Does anyone know of the most comparable android phone to the iPhone in terms of camera ease of use? I have a nexus 5 now and I’m happy with the quality of the shots in HDR mode but I wish I could get that quality with a quick point and shoot. Especially with indoor shots.

Guest

Samsung S5, Note 3, Note 4 – all of these take great pictures, if you can live with Touchwiz (it’s not that bad aftter freezing some S-apps and installing Nova launcher).

cocamoxb

I can’t speak for the world, only my experience. I’m in IT and work with all platforms from desktops to laptops, to mobile. So I at least get to scratch the surface of most mobile devices. So take this from that perspective.

From what I’ve seen inside offices and data centers, HTC seems to have the best camera overall. Samsung’s S5 is darn close. The iPhone 5s has a fantastic camera.

That all being said, I haven’t used a iPhone 6 or 6+ yet.

I personally use a LG G2 and couldn’t be happier. Granted, most are pictures and videos of my family and kids. I’ve got a DSLR for all the photo nit-pickery that I want.

YMMV

cocamoxb

Sorry, forgot to mention, as lolwat did, I can’t stand Touchwiz. Honestly, I can’t even quantify why but everytime I use it I want to smash my fingers in a car door. The camera that Samsung puts out it very nice though.

CPA01

Get Google Play Edition of the S5 when it comes out.

I can’t stand touchwiz, but GPE fixes that.

lolwat

Battery life is still an issue for the regular 6 according to most other reviews…and to be fair to Samsung, although you dislike them, they may not optimize mAH as well as Apple/iOS did, but their larger battery didn’t exactly make their device much bigger and it actually generally lasts just as long, if not longer than the reg 6.

mcdonsco

“who don’t want to be told that their phone should be used a certain way”

That is always my biggest complaint with Apple. Their way, or go somewhere else.

Jonathan Williams

Apple Crap… lulz

chris_johns

#motoxmasterrace

Freedoooom

If you go to DxOMark and look at the scores that went into the overall score, you will find the S5 and Z3 both had much better picture and video quality than the iPhone 6. They both lose to the iPhone in the overall score not because picture or video quality, but video autofocus.

Guest

Even though thinness made camera lens protuding and ugly, Apple made iPhone 6 & 6+ incredibly thin and in turn slippery for only one reason – squeeze more more money from iFools through Apple care (most iFools carry iphone naked and for that Applecare is a must buy), it’s by design by an evil company.

Jkdem85

take off the tinfoil Maaannnn.. They made it thin, because people equate a thin phone with sexy.

Guest

How the phone can look sexy with that ugly & protuding camera lens? Are you also an iDiot??

Patrick Smithopolis

The phone is anorexic. Anorexia is not sexy.

Wolf0491

I think its nice you tried to actually use the other side.
Also I like your last line about on to Z3 compact haha.
In other news since I see people mention the verge here. I just read there Z3 review and it was first time I ever saw them be any kind of nice to Sony. They actually praised it. Weird

Geoff__W

I’m surprised no Siri vs Google Now comparison! That seems to be a major difference, and I would assume Apple made some improvements to Siri with iOS8

CoreRooted

AT this point, they are two very different products and Siri is still sorely lacking. While working just fine for voice control and actions, Siri doesn’t anticipate things like Google Now does. You have to ask Siri for things where Google Now presents what is *mostly* relevant at that time. Until Siri gets some kind of similar interface and/or functionality, they will never be on the same level.

sonicyoof

Yeah the single button design always kills me when I use someone’s iPhone. It’s so “easy” I get completely lost when I use one!

But to be honest, all the negatives about customization, too many settings, navigation that’s too simple, etc… all the iPhone users don’t put a single thought to that stuff. They pick it up, launch their app, and that’s it.

CPA01

The single button design also fails due to uncalibrated home buttons.

Unless you’ve setup the accessibility widget or multitouch, you basically have a bricked device on iOS when your home button stops working. Steven Jobs was right for wanting to physical screen buttons and Android proved Steve was prophetic as usual.

Defenestratus

As someone who has had to use an iPhone 5c at work, but who prefers Android – I can say without a doubt that as long as theres no back button on iOS, I’ll be a firm android user. So many times I’ve had to jump between screens in the stupid touchdown app that I have to effing use at work, and navigating it without a back button is like driving staples under my fingernails. I’ve thrown the phone across my room, several times for having to go back to the homescreen anytime I want to go “back”.

I’ve also noticed the same issues about the app store – for a company who prides itself on the best presentation of simple ideas, the app store is terribly lacking compared to the play store. Hell it took me 20 minutes to figure out how to get “home” on the app store.

I also had the same feelings about the rounded edges on the design. I thought to myself “dang all it would take is a little potato chip grease on my fingers and that phone would be airborne.”

As someone who enjoys (for the most part except your never give up the ship even if we are wrong subscribers) Droid Life as a daily driver 6Plus user and a G3 work phone user, I whole heartedly commend you for this writing. You were up front with how you would compare it but also did “go down with the ship no matter what” when it came to where you thought Apple had a upper hand (dat camera doe right?). No matter how much people scream they copied this or they copied that, they an Android device is different for a reason that an iOS device, and to me that is a good thing.

Three cheers Kellen, this type of writing is exactly why as mostly a iPhone fan, still come to Droid Life 4 to 5 times a day. Great writing.

Screen: I am not talking QHD since there isn’t a lot of content that you can use it for to it’s fully capacity, I am talking accurate colors and a screen so close to the glass that it looks like it is the glass. Amazed Kellen did bring that up. I have had a S3, S4,S5, Moto X, Note 3, and now a G3 and none of them, not even the 5/5s had a screen so close it was unreal. Also, give me a screen where 35-40% brightness is equal to my G3’s 75-80% brightness. No joke. That is why my plus lasts almost 3 days with heavy nerd use for me.

Camera: I own a RX mark2 from Sony. I haven’t taken it with me to family outings since I got the 6plus. Even when I had the 5/5s and my G3 (which is the best Android camera out there hands down period and willing to bet it kills the Note 4 as well) I still took my RX Mark 2. Apple has always been consistent way above average with his hardware and software for their cameras and they really did a great job here too.

Lightning cable: reversible. seriously, its become a pain just to plug in my Android devices since I got hook back on the 5. That new microUSB that is reversible can’t come fast enough.

Touch ID security: yeah I wish I could do more with it but it works so well compared to the swipe of the S5.

Those are the things that come to my mind in less than 30 seconds. But really it’s the first 2. I know people will site Android examples and I am willing to listen, but since I am such a tech whore that I like to have the latest from each OS and do try and get them as soon as possible, I have tried many of the top that Android has to offer and none have been close enough to make me change my personal drive to Android rather than it be my work phone.

jer85008

Pretty balanced review, much more so than some of the other biased “iPhone user tries the Android _______” reviews I’ve read. I guess this is why I’m an Android guy. Today I was at the mall and walked by the Apple store, and was actually tempted to go in and have a peek at the 6. Then I thought, “why, I’ll never buy one..what’s the point?” and kept walking. Thanks for the review Kellen.

Jaxon Wright

thank you very much for doing this. I enjoyed reading the entire thing.

pas!

Very nice review, thanks. The look anyway, is personal view

flosserelli

tl;dr

“On to the Xperia Z3 Compact.”

epps720

Just ordered it today

SharieDolanayi

my Aunty Zoe got a stunning black Porsche just by part-time work from a home pc… original site -> BEST PAYING JOB <-

ChrisDG74

Your Aunty does donkey shows from her home pc.

i know who you are

You must have ordered the iphone for performance, privacy and security. The reason why iOS has “8,000” settings is it allows you to fine tune the access allowed by app and function. You can either use it or not. It is like Google’s App Ops permission settings on steroids. However, google has hid that option because google makes a good chunk of money for invading your privacy and selling it to advertisers (and maybe others….right, snowden).

So if you value both top of the line hardware and software along with your privacy then get an iphone. If you don’t care about privacy or performance but like “free services” then get google. Whatever makes you happy.

Mark

I guess people like don’t have very good reading compression. epps720 ordered an Xperia Z3 Compact…

Mark

*people like you (ie. iPhone users)

I guess people like me don’t type very well.

Dan Dunce

So you are okay with “compression”? Interesting.

Sandra P

Yes, Mark, you are only guessing that person does not have good reading comprehension (or “compression” as you say) but it is clear that people like (YOU) can’t write.

I love it when a clown tries to correct another poster and ends up looking like the bigger fool.

Gil R

I understand the comment about some people being overwhelmed by the number of settings adjustments allowed in iOS. I actually like having the option to turn off specific permissions for specific apps. So if I don’t want my keyboard app to have network access, I can turn that access off. In some cases, I may loose some functionality but I like having the freedom to choose between features and security/privacy. And if you don’t care about that type of thing you can just ignore the settings and use default settings on an ios device or just buy an android device where those choices are already made for you. There is something for everyone out there. It’s all good.

Alexander Possessed

Dude… my google account is at least safe from the whole internet. Remember the icloud leaks? After that can you seriously say it provides privacy and security? 😉

larson

I’d get the Z3 Compact if it came out on Verizon.

Makr

Too bad, if and when it actually comes to Verizon, the gimped mini phones of other OEMs at the time will be as good.

Fair enough. I wonder what Kellen’s thoughts on gapgate will be and the ability for the Note 4 to actually hold real notes in it’s side bezel. :p

Higher_Ground

To your point, I haven’t heard much. I’m thinking that’ll be touched on extensively during their review.

CaptainHowdy13

Great review. I’d say my review of Windows Phone is the same. Great camera and battery life (Lumia 822 – haven’t used any others, but Lumia cameras are fantastic). The rest of the system is less than stellar. No apps, and even if there were the store system blows.

I’m personally on the other side of this, after using Android phones from the HTC G1 until the Nexus 5 I persoanlly got sick of Amdroid, so I used my T-Mobile JUMP upgrade to get the iPhone 6, and I can say personally I love the iPhone. It does everything that I want a smartphone to do, and I don’t have to spend the first 2 weeks with the phone setting it up for how I use my phone. I can honestly say I drank to Apple Kool-aid and won’t be looking back.

Defenestratus

no post history, suspicious name, yeah… I smell troll.

iFangirl

No new name for my Disqus account, look up goth droid for my old post history

AngryBadger

haha, nice names.

Dyan_Branielson

Seeing this ginormous settings app, notifications etc, I highly doubt that setting up an iPhone is a breeze. I personally have set up my Android phone (new or factory reset) in half an hour. But: We have choice! And that’s great. There isn’t THE best phone, only the phone that is best for YOURSELF.

iFangirl

Exactly, it’s while even thoughbi don’t use Android anymore I still like keeping up with what is new in tech. I fully understand that the iPhone and iOS isn’t for everyone, it is what is right for me

Grizzy

I read a lot about how great the iPhone cameras have always been, and I can see why people like it because of the UI. But in my experience, my Galaxy S4 takes much better pictures (going up to the iPhone 5S, haven’t compared to the 6). All my co-workers have the iPhone, but are always wowed at the pictures my phone takes. And I’m not a photographer or anything, just an average user. I’ve owned iPhones myself (iPhone 4S and 5) and like the simplicity of the camera, but I’d definitely take the S4 as far as picture quality goes.

shooter50

S4 and S5 pictures are very misleading. Yes, they look amazing because of the eye popping colors of the Galaxy screens. However, when viewed on a computer or online, they don’t hold up

Grizzy

I’d have to disagree. I know the screen makes it look nicer, but even when I send it to people with iPhones (because they like my pictures better), it still looks better on their phones.

bkosh84

Also, needing a “back button”.. How about Swiping left to right? Not saying it’s perfect (it was hard for me to switch to swiping from using a back button on my G3) but it works pretty well when needed.

Defenestratus

Doesn’t work between apps.

wmsco1

How about a drink Kellen, Job Done Thanks. Toast.

DC_Guy

“[The iPhone is] a really good smartphone – it just isn’t the best smartphone.”

Ha! The Verge, Pocketnow (I think), Cnet, PhoneDog and a few other tech sites not dedicated to one platform or the other (given their non-branded names) disagree with you.

I’m cracking up at all the people saying this is a fair and balanced review. I’m sure it is in the same way that Cult of Mac, iMore, or Apple Insider would write a fair and balanced review of an Android phone.

bkosh84

THIS! I think there is a Cult of Kellen here at Droid-Life sometimes.

DC_Guy

LOL touché.

CPA01

You could attempt to point out where he’s not being fair.

Or you could just throw vague comments out there like iTrolls who know they don’t have an argument but can’t admit they’re wrong…

I wouldn’t even call this a review because it’s not. I can’t say I’m surprised that people are calling this a fair review. You’ll find a lot of those who dislike iOS/Apple on sites like these.

CPA01

Except that this article is far more balanced than the joke articles that Verge and Cnet put out.

See the most recent bull**** Verge put out? They’re bashing the Nexus 5 for being more expensive upfront….and say nothing about how much an on contract iPhone really costs. The Nexus 5 is bad because it costs $349 total…but an iPhone 6 is better because it cost $199 now and $850 after two years?

Seriously, the bull**** that these Apple biased websites have is immense.

schoat333

I’m actually considering an iPhone 6 for my next phone because I do not look for the same things in a phone as Kellen, but to say this wasn’t fair is wrong. Especially since it was a sort of review done by an Android biased blog…. If the roles were reversed, and this was an Apple biased blog reviewing an Android phone, they would just call it garbage and give no substance, reason, or facts to back up their opinion.

CPA01

Yup. An Apple iTroll would call it bad because it’s not an iPhone. And then leave it at that.

Or they’d lie about what it actually does. I’ve seen plenty of iSheep lie about LTE Android phones not having LTE, claiming worse resolutions than iPhones (despite blowing the iPhone out of the water), not having MicroSD, despite having it. Apple users lie so much about Android.

Jeff C

but we’ve already come to the conclusion those sites are biased. this review is just less and is actually constructive, somewhat.

Droid 1967

You are so biased its sad! he pretty much says the phone hardware is great. He prefers android software over IOS. They have reviewed many android phones they dont quite like the build of the phone its indefinably a preference as i have liked some they did not and visa versa. I like an app drawer not an app homepage. And i dont agree the iphone 6 isnt for me the iphone 6+ is a great smartphone but its not the best. I have a g2 its not the best phone out right now but im happy with it. This was a very positive review on a pro android website not sure what you want. If you prefer IOS than you could post the same type of review of a top android phone except as you are blinded you would tear up the hardware also which he did not.

CPA01

Verge and Cnet get paid to push Apple products.

CNET is so much of a joke that it’s not even worth reading their articles, just the comments. You can hear the Apple checks coming in, in every Apple article they write. When you have two grading systems, one that removes stars for lack of removable battery, no MicroSD, no NFC (at the time), low customization and then have one for Apple that ignores all of the items you penalize Android/Windows for…it’s pretty obvious that Apple is paying you to shill. It’s worse when the objective writers at CNET are never allowed to write about Apple in any serious way. When unnamed “senior” editors always write the iPad/iPhone reviews, it’s clear they’re maintaining their Apple checks.

How about you explain how this isn’t a fair and balanced review. Or you could just snipe and fail to show you understand anything.

Daeshaun

Apps are usually on ios first. The quality of the citibank, instagram, zynga poker, netflix and snapchat apps are better. They have better reddit apps, like alien blue. The starbucks app is better. I even think googles maps is smoother on ios. They all run smoother and faster than any android phone i’ve used. so i give them selection and quality.
I believe you made fun of the reversible cable in a DL show. Nice to see the praise here.
the swipe confirmation for the notification panel and quick actions are annoying. More annoying when theres no confirmation swipe.
It is a status symbol. I swear more people talk to me when i’m using ios.
Not having to tap “ok” after putting in my pin is beautiful.
What you say about it being an app jukebox is right.
the speaker is loud and clear.
in truth if it had moto display and moved touch id to the apple on the back it’d be perfect.
Its weird that GPMAA has no ad supported version and itunes music does
Safari’s reader mode is amazing. use it.
Having to go general > usage> battery usage is to too much digging.

*i get tons of starbucks gift cards.

bkosh84

*In before stupid “GET OUT iSHEEP Comments start*

Grayson

How is the Instagram app better on iPhone? Looks and performs the exact same on my One M8 and my wife’s iPhone 6, well except for the fact that it’s horribly blurry on her phone because the iOS version hasn’t been updated to support the new resolution. Also, I wouldn’t say all apps are better. The YouTube app is wayyy better on Android… less glitchy, more reliable, much better subscription view. The Circa News app is also better on Android. Perfectly smooth on my One M8 but it stutters a little when scrolling on my wife’s iPhone 6. Oh, and don’t get me started on the Gmail app for iOS. Takes forever to load, swiping to delete sucks compared to the Android app, no actionable notifications, etc., etc.

Grayson

I would also like to point out that Android has better lock screen, home screen, text message replacement, phone automation (think Tasker), etc. apps because iOS doesn’t even allow apps that do that stuff.

alex

Curious about text message replacement. What is better on the android side?

Grayson

I like Hangouts, Textra, and hello sms. All three are good, just depends on preference. There are plenty of others as well, but those are just the ones I like most.

Ramana

I know I will get flamed for this but the quality of ios apps is what made me switch. More than the availability of some new fangled app and game.

NickA

Not going to get flamed, only by those who don’t know better. The quality of apps i like night and day. It’s not the developer’s fault but the OS. I think Android is catching up through with it’s new Material Design.

Ian Roe

Agreed, that was something I was hoping Kellen would address and simply blew past

hhy2k

I was waiting for that punch as well.

Droid Ronin

I, on the other hand, would not be happy with the iOS selection of apps. No Tasker, Trigger, UCCW, Icon Packs, file managers, Nova Launcher, Link Bubble, DashClock, or any of those customization apps. Also, an app like Chat Heads can run on top of any app in Android, as opposed to only within FB on iOS.

CPA01

DASHCLOCK FTW.

I can’t imagine using a phone without that. Or HD Widgets. iOS is horribly inefficient compared to Android simply because Android has vastly superior widgets.

Yes, dismissing the quality and breadth of apps completely just because you don’t like the app store is one of my biggest problems with this “review”. That, and complaining about having consistent controls over notifications in one easy to find location is pretty hilarious. Clearly it is way better to dig through the inconsistent settings screens of dozens of different apps. Lol

centhar

Quality in looks, not in function. I don’t care how good an app looks, if it lacks functionality I want, then BAM, uninstalled!! The problem I find with Android ports is that often times, they are missing features that are on iOS versions and are bug ridden. Products of lazy coders or down grading on purpose.

Evan

Now that you are done with the review, time for the bend test!

MichaelFranz

I must say…..Thank You Kellen. I always say to myself every year, maybe this years iPhone will be the one that I like. Let’s face it, like you I use iMac’s and Mac Books daily, and I personally have an insane library of music and use itunes regularly for all my music. It would make sense for me to want an iphone to unify all of my tech. This phone hits home in all the right places for me and probably the average consumer….Camera, Battery Life, Display. If i wasn’t the techie nerd I am, I’d have one….but i’m not. Thanks for pointing out some of the finer details that make me understand why I have and will continue to stick with Android as my OS. I just wish every phone had the same camera experience on Android. That is the one thing I wish I could have.

mustbepbs

“On Android, a simple tap on the back button would take me immediately back to Instagram”

Not always true. If you’re a few pages deep into Chrome after clicking a link to bring you there, hitting the back button won’t take you back to Instagram. You have to mash the back button a bunch of times to get back, and if you hit Recents, you’ll see that Instagram turned into Chrome. That’s a real pain in the ass, and I prefer iOS’s method much more.

Higher_Ground

I do think there needs to be some changes in android’s handling of recent apps, as far too often I’ll try to do exactly as you say to go back and the app’s not there (this I think ties into another part of the review he mentioned apps communicating with one another – it seems that if I open an app from a link within an app, it’s less likely to register on the “recent apps” list)

jrbmed08

What I like about Android’s buttons is that you have both a home button AND a back button. Getting stuck in pages and pages of chrome? Just hit home and you can go back into Instagram, which is how you’d navigate it in iOS anyway. Or use the multitasking button to bring up your recent apps. I’m glad Apple is finally starting to incorporate multitasking, but Android just does it better.

radiohead14

Kellen, could you please compare the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact’s camera to the iPhone 6? The camera is the only thing that is making me consider the iPhone. If the Z3C is close to the photo quality, then I’ll be 100% sold on the Z3C. Thanks!

talkingshit

Great review, and I think your list of positives is exactly why the phone does sell so well. People want a phone that can take pictures, post to facebook and get them through the day, that is what your average user is looking for. Sometimes in life, people just prefer something simple.

Proioxix

This is really stupid. All I got from this is that you’re an Android user who doesn’t like iOS. You can’t really review an iPhone because you don’t even use one alongside Android. Using an iPhone for 2 weeks doesn’t make you an expert on the OS. Not to mention this site doesn’t review Apple stuff, so what’s the point. To tell people what they already know? That you don’t like iOS? Wow.

A protruding camera is really not an issue at all. A lot of Android phones have them, I don’t see you talk about them in your review. Seriously, what is the problem with a small bump. You’re not used to iOS, so can’t expect you go give a fair review or anything and I wouldn’t even call this a review. Just stick to Android because iOS just isn’t for you. This is basically like an iOS user reviewing an Android phone that they’ve only used for 2 weeks. Of course they haven’t experienced everything the OS has to offer, not to mention since they love iOS, they probably wouldn’t give it a fair chance.

Change the tittle because this is certainly not a review. An Android user for years can’t just get up one day and say I’m going to use an iPhone for just 2 weeks and write a review on it. Just doesn’t work. You work here is proof it didn’t work.

epps720

Did you even read the article???? He said upfront this isn’t a full fledged review and the title of the article points to that too! He never claimed to be an expert just wanted to see the difference between the two OS’s. Guess you didn’t fair too well in reading comprehension.

Proioxix

Did you even get past the title, he changed it to a review when he himself has admitted that it’s not really a review.

epps720

from the article:

“Before we get going, understand that this isn’t an iPhone 6 review in the traditional sense. We aren’t an Apple site, so we aren’t going to start reviewing iPhones. Instead, these are some thoughts on the iPhone 6 and iOS 8 from someone who lives Android day-to-day, but spent the last few weeks with nothing but an iPhone. The sections in here will be comparisons to Android, what I like and don’t like about the iPhone 6 and iOS 8, and why, ultimately, Android is still what I prefer in a smartphone.”

Proioxix

Yet the title has been changed. This isn’t a review, simple as it gets. This is a let’s compare iOS to Android article which doesn’t make much sense because we all know Android wins every time.

epps720

Yes, he said this is a comparison. And No, if you read the article he says that Apple wins in several areas. He does say that Android is his choice but also understands why millions of people want this phone every year. Try to put aside your bias and read the article for what it is.

Proioxix

The title he put up on Google+ much better describes what this article. A pretty much Android only user, using an iPhone for 2 weeks and sharing his experience. Certainly not a review like the title now suggests. Comparing an OS you used for 2 weeks to an OS you’ve been using for years, WOW.

Defenestratus

You’re a sad… sad man.

Dyan_Branielson

You must be fun at parties.

epps720

Hey Proioxix, why did you change your name to Guest?

bigdunit

Well, considering this is an Android site, therefore it’s catered towards Android users who may or may not be interested in trying the new IPhone, so he’s just telling us what the experience is like. I don’t see anything particularly wrong wtih that.

yeah right

Just out of curiosity, will Droidlife re-review battery life after Android L? I have a strange feeling that we will be seeing some significant improvements across the board for any phone with Android L.

Rodeojones000

Fantastic write up. As I’ve mentioned (and been flashed for) a few times recently, I put my 4 week old G3 up for sale with the possibility of getting the iPhone 6 (maybe the Plus). I like how you compared Apple and Android features without sounding like an idiot fanboy of either OS. Something for me to think about here.

Mark

ewww, get out isheep. 😀

mustbepbs

I just made the switch a few weeks ago when the 6 came out. Honestly, there really isn’t much I miss about Android. The positives Kellen talked about, like battery, performance and camera more than make up for any perceived shortcomings. Apps work really well, are usually updated before Android with better features (even Google’s own apps), and there are tons of games on iOS that’ll never come to Android. I do miss how easy it was to share stuff, but I’ve adjusted.

I also don’t really see what he’s talking about with the volume, because you can use the volume buttons to lower system, and control center to lower media volume. Android (stock) confuses the hell out of me because I never know what’ll happen when I hit the volume buttons. Sometimes it’ll lower the volume I want, sometimes it’ll bug out and not lower media and just lower system.

Mark

Seems like a good fair review. The phone is about exactly as i expected.

I’m going on a one month iphone 4 adventure until the Nexus 6 is released. So far.. very depressing. I actually can’t wait until i get home so that i can use my Nexus 7.

AngryBadger

yeah, phones with the camera protruding always get to me as well. I imagine the multitude of phone case manufacturers might have a solution for that? I know my Nexus 5 case has a small lip around screen edge to protect face-down placement and it is thick enough to do the same for camera on back.

AngryBadger

Then again, for people who like going bare phone…

grayson360

Seriously though this article is awesome. No one believes me when I say this site is unbiased and has a perfect perspective on phones. I went from a Nexus 5 to an iPhone 6 and completely agree with everything on this article.

Now, before you all kill me, I have my Nexus 7 2013 charged and capable and rooted and all them things. Carry it in my back pocket everyday too. And yes that’s practical for me…..I’m 6’8″ so things are small and pockets are big…..

Great review! I’m glad you explained why you did not like things. Even tho you have obvious reasons to be Android bias, you actually gave it a chance. I’m a fan of technology and want less biased opinions and reviews like this.

Played with the iPhone 6+ twice for about 30 mins a piece. Couldn’t see the wow factor but I will say these are the only 4 things I like about it. Design (slimness), the Touch ID is very fluid and well implemented with Apple Pay (which is #3), the way Apple Pay is designed makes me think Google didn’t put much thought and design into Google Wallet (jealous), and last the Passbook app. Other than those it just seemed boring.

Iphone’s push their color temps down to make images look good. Poor accuracy and is fake. Every pic looks like it was taken during the golden hour.

James

LOL you dropped the mic on that one

Vanquishgc

Or a Charge, or Fascinate, or an S3 (sorry, that shutter lag was bad….)

Scott Tucker

lol no

Ssl0408

Poor people buy Android. There you go.

Steveo

Knock knock.

CPA01

Said the masses on Black Friday buying iPhones for $0 down.

Or did you just not pay attention to Apple’s 4th quarter numbers which showed huge numbers of iPhones sold?

Michael Harrison

You obviously have no experience with iPhone cameras then. You remove all fanboyisms, Apple cameras have consistently been the go to standard for smartphone cameras. One area Android has constantly tried to jump ahead with on pixel counts instead of quality.

fillyo75

Yes, but an S5 camera is basically on par, and I expect the Note 4 camera to be up there too.

jer85008

I had an iPhone 5 for work, and “experimented” with a Lumia 928 for a few months as well just for fun as my personal phone. I can honestly say the iPhone camera was no where near as good as the Lumia. While not even a small fraction as popular, Lumia’s have the best cameras bar none.

Vanquishgc

Yup, just as I posted above, I had the same phone. Wasn’t a big fan of Windows, but that camera was a hell of a highlight.

ClikFire _

I’ve owned the iPhone 5 and 5s both for a month honestly the camera is overrated. Its definitely one of the Best but Not ‘The Best”.

staticx57

Have you ever heard of the lumia series phones? I have a 1020 that I mess around with and despite it having the same size pixels as my G2 the quality of the image it produces are so far ahead of the G2 it isnt even funny. It has higher dynamic range, less noise, more pixels, and better colors. The Lumias are definitely a case of more AND better pixels.

Do you remember the big deal the verge made about the iphone 6 camera? Yea, it looks like crap next to a quality lumia not to mention when you want to record video the audio will clip or distort so fast on anything other the HTC M7/8 and the lumias.

Michael Harrison

The 1020 isn’t exactly a fair comparison. Much like the Zoom, it was basically mean to be a camera with a phone attached. It’s not a standard phone, it’s bulky and big. We are not talking about super-niche markets here, but high-end smartphones that have a camera on them, not the other way around. The 1020 has a great camera, but it was really designed to be a camera first, and a phone 2nd.

staticx57

It really is not that big or bulky and is perfectly fine as a phone.

hhy2k

That’s not exactly an Android phone, now is it?

staticx57

Does it need to be Android to beat the iPhone?

abazigal

The thing is – every phone is a package deal, and you can’t just narrow down the discussion to 1 or 2 features and base your judgement off that. The Lumia focuses overwhelmingly on the camera, so it should do well in that area, but pretty much sucks in every other aspect.

I am sure that if people look hard enough, they will find a phone with a single feature which beats the iPhone, but sucks everywhere else. And the hypocrisy then comes when they start making it sound like you can somehow extract the winning features from a number of smartphones (without the accompanying drawbacks to boot), then mesh them together into some iphone-killing frakenphone. It doesn’t work that way – you will not find this mythical phone with the G3’s display, the Note’s stylus features, the Lumia’s camera, HTC’s build quality, all running stock Android, and priced like the Xiaomi.

What the iPhone manages to do is be “good enough” in almost every regard (and considering that Apple releases only 1 design every year, I would argue that it better be), such that it meets the needs of a wide consumer base.

staticx57

True, the iPhone may be a better all around phone than most, but if you are willing to make some trade offs things make sense. Take me for an example, I am more than willing to deal with a phone with a large camera bump and slow shot to shot times to have a phone with a camera that far exceeds all other phones. If your priority was battery life you would be forced with the 6+ which is a massive phone in its own right.

alex

I wish I could up vote you a thousand times. This line of thinking drives me crazy but we see it all the time on sites like this.

Vanquishgc

I’ll give Apple that one at least. But in my opinion, the gold standard is Nokia. I had a 928 for a while and I’ll be damned if that didn’t take the best pictures of any phone I’ve used. And I know they have even better ones out there. But yeah, some Android models have very good cameras, but none can seem to master it.

Doesitmatter

Smoke crack much?
I’ve got the S4, my wife the iPhone 5, and there is no comparison, the iPhone camera blows my S4 out of the water in almost every photo situation. Way faster focusing, faster shutter speed (less blur on moving subjects), hence better photo quality 95% of the time. The only time my S4 takes better photos is outside on non-moving subjects, any other situation, the iPhone wins.

ClikFire _

Weird my wife had a galaxy s4 last year when I owned the iphone 5 for a month. She was at the park with our kids the youngest was 1 at the time I was blown away by the photo quality she got on her S4 these are kids mind you running all over, she was getting like DSLR type quality without even touching any settings. So I don’t know if your settings were wack or your lens was scratched but it was quite the opposite with my wife. The 5 did take photos slightly faster but that was it.

Grayson

Samsung cameras may be as good, or even better sometimes, in daylight, but they blow at night and indoors. iPhone 6 cameras are good in every situation, which is why people are saying they are consistent. Though not the best for every situation, they are easily the most well rounded camera on a smartphone.

AngryBadger

True, I am excited for the Sony Z3/c but I hope a 32GB or more model might be in releasing sometime (because I hear they have great cameras).

ClikFire _

Dude the Z3 Camera is Amazing also people have told me they are getting Insane On Screen time like 9 hours + and 1 – 2 day battery life.

AngryBadger

That’s epic! The only question I have is with how Android app support seems to not like sd-cards anymore. I know I can move music/video libraries easily to sd-card but is it true apps are hit and miss with that?

I am on a Nexus 5 (16GB) and easily get down to between 1-3GBs depending on games/apps installed.

Z1 Compact user here, from the default Camera app, you can take pictures and videos directly to the sdcard but you should use a high speed kick ass sdcard one for 4K and slow motion since it needs to be fast. But on other camera app, you can only go internal so custom ROM and third party apps are a big no no. I don’t get what Google has against sdcard but if the next version of Android mess up sdcard again, I might have to board another ship.

z

It has to do with The Great PC Dream taxing the manufacturers for having a memory card slot.

The further away Google can get manufacturers from that, the easier it is for that wedge holding the door from closing on The Great PC Dream to be removed, and we can move to other portable storage media.

The link must be broken, but we haven’t found one yet.

kselby

But they have yet to say anything about a widescale release in the US. I would love to get me a Z3 compact but I am on Verizon, and I don’t see it being an option anytime in the future. The iPhone is everywhere. Sadly.

Vanquishgc

Verizon is getting the Z3, it’s just a matter of when. From what I’ve heard they’re dubbing it the Z3V or something like that. The holdup I think is because they want to add wireless charging. But they seriously need to hurry the hell up.

Vanquishgc

If it doesn’t get to Verizon soon, my brain might explode. I’m giving it a month, starting now, before I go for either the G3 or the Droid Turbo.

Droid Ronin

We’ll see how good those pictures turn out a few months down the road when the camera lens gets scratched up from that protruding design.

cjohn4043

If I’m not mistaken, the camera lenses are made from sapphire making them extremely hard to scratch.

Grayson

Yup. Apple does a lot of ish wrong, but cameras they do right. That sapphire glass they use of the lens is VERY hard to scratch.

alex

Hilarious. Every android phone that has a decent camera also has a protruding lense. But don’t let facts get in the way of a good rant.

cizzlen

Lol. It’s like he’s bent over the fact that Apple makes good cameras. Calm down bro.

^ This is what retards say. I say people but what meets their needs. Just because someone prefers iOS or Windows Phone over Android doesn’t mean they’re stupid. They’re buying what goes with what they already have and meets their specific needs. Last I check we don’t all have the same needs as you. You saying people are stupid because they didn’t choose Android makes you a retard.

zUFC

Perfect Godzilla. couldn’t of said it better myself. I’m tired of making fun of I-Junk users. It gets sickening after all these years. Don’t get me wrong, some of my friends that can’t turn on TV’s I tell to buy an I-phone, But in todays day and age it’s not cool to be tech dumb. ten years ago is was funny and cool to say “I don’t know about computers and all this crap” but not anymore. This day and age you have to have at least a little knowledge. I don’t hate apple just to hate them. I just can’t understand how their users can like that phone. The app phone. the phone that never changes. Every time I look at one i want to throw up seeing all the square icons on every screen. How can they live like that??? I just don’t get it !!!!!!!!

Proioxix

Clearly you’re a retard also. A retard for not realizing that people use what they like and what meets their needs. In this day and age no you don’t have to be tech savy or really know anything about technology. Technology isn’t everything. Maybe you can explain to me why, why people like you can’t help but go on and on and on about a device they don’t care to buy or use. Why do you go on and on about Apple and iPhones in comments? Is it because you secretly want one or something? Because that’s all I see from people who dislike iPhone/iOS/Apple. They can’t seem to not talk about them when it clearly doesn’t concern them what others do with their money.

Maybe you can shed some light on this matter. I just don’t get it!!!!!!!!!

hhy2k

No more coffee for you….

CPA01

If we actually bought what we needed, we’d be getting Moto Gs.

Just saying.

RyanUK

Err.. No pal, not at all. I’ve worked in IT all my life, develop, manage, implement, support and sell some of the most strategic enterprise software on the planet that forms the platform on which most, if not all of the biggest companies in business run their day-to-day operations.

I’m typing this on an iPhone 6. Am I a simpleton? What if I pop downstairs and get my Nexus out of the drawer and re type this response on that? Do I then meet your Lordy tech savvy criteria?

You clearly know nothing about technology on a true scale. It’s not about being a fanboi in one camp or another, it’s about knowing everything about all of them and having an intrinsic ability to assess it all on a SWOT basis and make informed opinions, decisions and assessments.

To that end, bravo Kellen: there’s a fella who gets it based on his review/experiment (spot on in many points, slightly off on others) – but generally fair.

You a just a tech bigot though.

Suicide_Note

Sorry, I saw the 6 in the title and immediately thought there was news about the Nexus 6. I’ll be leaving now.

jmc

That image of that girl’s Nike shoes is impeccable! One day Android. One day.

Aaron C

Great review. I love being able to keep up to date on what the competition is offering.

EDIT: one minor quibble: “The dimensions on the iPhone 6 are comparable to the new Moto X, yet it houses a 5.2-inch display.” <— makes it sound like the iPhone 6 has a 5.2" display.

Godzilla

X phone

jnt

Where’s Sarg…

Godzilla

at work

Mech_Engr_09

McDonald’s burgers aren’t gonna cook themselves. Speaking of which how are you on the site right now when you should be getting people’s fries ready.

cizzlen

How old are you?

youseela

Sarge already admitted the X Phone was the Moto X & he messed up the specs.

I wondered what the heck happened there. I was reading it and then went back to the home page and it changed LOL

CPA01

What you wrote is better than the entirety of CNET and Verge combined and then multiplied by 500. BGR couldn’t write better than what you did if you did a complete technical retraining of all their writers. You could start a website with just your works that would far surpass what passes for tech journalism over there.

CPA01

This is THE review.

Jeff C

like how you were unbiased for the most part, but still managed to compare it to android when needed. instead of pretending like the iphone is the only smartphone out there like some other sites will tend to do

David

Ahem iVerge

michael arazan

Every Main Stream Media outlet thinks the only smartphone and tablets on the market is Apple. All I hear is 90% apple and about 10% Google/ Android, and when it is Android it is something incredibly innovative they are reporting about. CNN, HLN, FNC,FBC, MSNBC, all pimp apple as the it all be all of devices.

It’s disconcerting they report on all these new apple features that Android has had for years and tell people that they somehow reinvented the wheel and are the only manufacturer to have these features, misinforming the public.

The Verge has long ago lost any kind of journalistic integrity. Just look at all their terrible social commentary posts disguised as “tech talk” articles….

its sickening… it had such promise.

Droid Ronin

I subscribed to The Verge on YouTube for their weekly “90 seconds”, which I found entertaining. Now that they ended those, there’s really nothing for me there.

Patrick Smithopolis

Alot of reviews on the net are ifans reviewing iPhones and most of them only know Android superficially. Kellen knows Android inside and out so he can bring some insight that other reviewers can’t.

alex

The problem is that he only knows iOS superficially, making this review as worthless as the others you criticize. There are several points in this “review” that show the lack of a deep understanding of the competition. That is fine though, I didn’t expect anything more from an Android fan site.

Well done Kellen! That was probably the best review I’ve seen so far. Nice job on being unbiased about it

Denard Mondesir

Definitely one of the fairest reviews i’ve read about the iPhone 6 in the past month,….. Much respect to Kellen!

Tyler Durden

A great device gets a great review.

Bone T Pickums

Right, which insights like not enough control but too many settings.

I cancelled my
Note 4 pre-order and picked up a 6+. It’s been great so far. After 4
years of Android it was time for a change. And I was getting tired of
Google forcing more of their data mining apps on the manufacturers.
Security and privacy moved up on my list of requirements over the last
year. And no bending….yet. Great competition churning out some great phones.

Proioxix

I’ve been an Android user pretty much since HTC Desire HD days. Had an iPod Touch during the early days and an iPhone 3GS, iPhon 5 for about a month each before selling them. Moved to a Nexus 5 and finally the OnePlus One. Recently switched to the iPhone 6+ and it’s fantastic I have to say. Already used to big phones so size is not an issue for me. The camera is superb, display is superb and app selection is superb too. I spent a lot of time waiting for a good writing app for Android (finally found JotterPad X), didn’t have to search for long to find one on iOS. Touch ID is just fantastic.

Surprisingly can’t say I miss Android much. I do miss an accessible file system, but hopefully iCloud Drive can solve that. I used to root, install themes and customize the hell out of my Android devices, but looking back there’s not much I miss. I have all the apps I need on iOS, it’s smooth and snappy and apps optimized for the 6+ look fantastic. I really like the swipe back feature, the curved display makes it so easy to use. Looking forward to Apple Pay. I have slept on my iPhone and such, no bending issues whatsoever. In my opinion this has been overblown. It’s also nice that Apple includes some basic apps that on Android, I would have had to go and find one in the Play Store. Don’t think I’ll be going back to Android anytime soon.

Guest

Come back and tell us in a month, it’s boring as hell, been there and done that.

Kevin N

Me too, twice!

Shawn Spring

“and apps optimized for the 6+ look fantastic.” – and the ones that aren’t, don’t. They look like garbage (at least the ones I saw on another guy’s 6+) – and the fault lies with iOS. Android scales everything, because they have to. iOS doesn’t, because of its closed system. This is the fundamental argument (to me) about Apple vs Google – open source versus not open source. I choose the former.

Proioxix

Not at all, Google apps I’ve been using aren’t yet optimized and they look good, nothing bad to say about them really. People like you make such comments without actually using the device is quite sad.

Shawn Spring

First off, no. As I noted before, I DID use the device – it wasn’t my device, but even so. And 2nd – I didn’t like the way the unscaled apps look. This could be that the developers don’t have them optimized yet – this could be the fact that I’m used to fully optimized apps on my 2560×1440 LG G3 display – it could be my own personal opinion. All of these reasons would be equally valid, or taken as a whole, they are still valid.

It’s a matter of personal preference, but a quick Google search will show quite a few others (actually owners of the 6+ such as yourself) feel the same way I do. So the only thing that’s actually “sad” is your expectation that all other people who use the device should feel the way you do, based on your experiences.

Proioxix

You obviously place more value on pixels than I do. Apps that aren’t optimized don’t look “OMG DISGUSTING” to me like you make them out to be. Mentioning your display resolution like it makes a difference whether it’s 500 PPI or 400 PPI is really sad. Then again like I said, I don’t place nearly as much value on pixels like you.

Using a device for a few minutes doesn’t really mean much. Apps like Spotify, LastPasss that have yet to be optimized look good on my 6+. I’d much rather have a 1080p display with power being used for something better than driving a bunch of extra pixels that honestly doesn’t make much of a difference.

Reviews of the G3 I’ve watched have said the same. G3 performs worse against my OPO because of the 2K display. 801 + 2K display isn’t really a good combination. Recent Note 4 benchmarks have shown that the iPhone 6 bests it in a lot of benchmarks. I bet the Note 4 would fair a lot better with a 1080p display.

Grayson

What? I bought an iPhone 6 as I wanted to switch from my One M8, but I returned it after a couple days. One of the worst things was that none of the apps I use had been updated to support the new resolutions, including all of Google’s iOS apps, and they looked TERRIBLE. It hurt my eyes how blurry text was. Felt like I was using a WVGA screen again. And this was on the little 6. I can’t imagine how bad apps that haven’t been updated must look on the 6 Plus. I thought iOS devs were known for being on top of things, but only 2 of the 20 or so apps I installed was updated to support the new res. This is as of yesterday, so devs have had about a month since the iPhone 6 announcement now.

wolfedude88

I have an iphone 6 and I’m not sure what you are saying about them looking good. I wouldn’t say they look horrible but its pretty close.

I almost dont want to use gmail right now because of it looking bad.

Juan Valenzuela

Had iPhone 6 for 4 hrs not days hrs Google apps are very bad on the iPhone switch to g3 love it.

thirdxeye

> Android scales everything, because they have to. iOS doesn’t, because of its closed system.

You couldn’t be more wrong. Forget the fact that it’s not about open vs closed. They started to support Auto Layout (scaling) in iOS 6 (2012). And it’s been greatly enhanced in Xcode 5 and iOS 7.

SeanPlunk

I’m confused. The iPhone 6 Plus renders images at 2208 * 1242 in 3x mode and then down scales the image to 1080p. I don’t believe that Android handles scaling in this manner. Can you provide a little more insight into your comment?

This should explain your question. It’s rendering in 3x mode to make it easier for devs and graphics artists.

Shawn Spring

I stand corrected. But wasn’t there an issue with scaling in iOS7 when the iPhone 5 was introduced? I didn’t receive my corporate issue until the 5s was introduced and presumably these issues were resolved in updates by then.

thirdxeye

There was no scaling issue. Back when they released the iPhone 5 many devs needed a long time to adapt to the new screen. Since then Apple encourages devs to use Auto Layout so apps easily adapt to new screen sizes.

MicroNix

So then why is it that everytime there’s a new screen form factor (iPhone 4 > 5, 5 > 6) there are apps that look outrageously screwed and developers have to correct them? You can call it whatever Apple wants you to think it is (I’m surprised it wasn’t “Metallic Holographic Auto Scaling”) but Android’s version of this does a better job. You have no grounds to argue on. I’m running a G3 and have yet to have an app that looked funny on a QHD 5.5″ screen than they did on my old S3.

SA_NYC

Interesting. Thanks.

jnt

People that say “you can’t customize, it’s boring, etc” are going beyond the main function of their phones for the most part. And trust me, I used to be one of them, and still am to a certain extent. But the bottom line is iOS really accomplishes the most important tasks of a smartphone and then stays the hell out of your way. Like you, when I go to iOS, the only things I really miss are the things that were just a distraction from life and added no pragmatic value whatsoever.

Greyhame

To me, this sounds like getting in single file within the apple line, and letting them lead you. No thanks.

jnt

But where are they leading you?

Greyhame

That’s the point, I’m walking my own path. It’s Android and I can make my phone my own.

jnt

I’m going to play devil’s advocate here a bit, but what path are you referring to? I don’t feel like I’m being led by Apple. There’s nothing my S5 or X do that my 6 can’t do when it comes to the essentials, and the 6 does better in some scenarios. No, I can’t customize the look of my icons, or text from my computer with MightyText (though Hangouts works fine obviously). Though if I wanted to jailbreak that would open up similar options. I can still have my photos auto upload to Dropbox and G+, I can still use ever major Google app and have them work together, etc. The only thing I can’t really do is the gui/graphics customizations to “Make it my own”. But most people don’t even put their phones into that kind of category (the customizable toy category), or care about the look of the software if it does what you want it to do.

Greyhame

The look is only one part of the customization. Functionality of my launcher alone would be something I’d miss too much. Bottom line is I don’t like being limited to how I interact with my phone and apps, and that’s exactly what apple forces you to live with.

jnt

I agree with you 100% on that. Just don’t make it sound like it’s some sort of significant life issue – Apple isn’t leading people in any important area of life, they choose to limit choices on their cellphones. If Apple started telling me how to raise my kids, that would be a whole other issue where I’d take a stance.

Greyhame

I hear you, and I see you making similar excuses for limited functionality across apps and between the user and his/her phone all around the comments section. Seems to me like you’re sacrificing a lot to go where you are. I don’t care and it’s obviously your choice, but when are you going to stop making excuses and just admit it: Android is the superior OS, period.

jnt

Oh I don’t think I’ve ever stated one was superior to the other. I personally agree Android is superior. I prefer Android in general. I’ve made that part clear in other comments. I simply don’t like when people equate a fondness for Apple/iOS with some sort of overarching life philosophy of being a follower who can’t think for his or herself. Heck, another commenter here claimed that I empower and I’m a champion for mediocrity – based solely on these comments related to iOS. Cmon now…

Leslie

All of this!!!!!

Leon Coleman

You both are right. It all depends on the user. Some users have a different opinion of how things should be done and some don’t care as long as it gets the job done. Some like to be able to decorate and some don’t care. From my experience I value convenience and options that make things faster and easier.

That’s why in most good reviews no one gives either a win, simply because it depends on the person.

Bottom line : if Apple offered the option to customize like android does then it will be a better phone for some and equal phone for others (those who don’t care about customizing).

Leslie

How is Apple “forcing” people to live with that?!?! Bottom line is it comes down to personal preforance! It’s really not that serious. This whole Apple/Android is like East Coast/West Coast, Biggie/Pac and we all know how that turned out!

Greyhame

If you read my other comments, I’m not trying to sway anyone’s decisions here. No, Apple is not forcing you to buy their devices. Of course not. What I was saying is that you’re forced to live with their app launcher, limited OS when you buy an iphone. I simply far prefer Google’s take on an OS. Others prefer Apple’s way, and I’m fine with that.

z

The RIAA/MPAA puppet corporation has trotted out bile since day one, propped up by their cronies.

If you’re a logical person, you may actually come to realize that you are empowering mediocrity, and it appears from your comments that you have been a champion of it for many years.

Sorry I missed this response last night or I would’ve responded sooner.

The fact that you’re taking discussions over a cellphone operating system and assuming I’m a champion of mediocrity tells me that this topic has become way too important in your life. If I champion mediocrity in my cellphone b/c I don’t have time to worry about it b/c I’m championing excellence in the rest of my life – being a good husband, father, employee, friend, coach, etc. – then so f’ing be it, I’ll take that any day. Goodness gracious…

z

Nothing specific with your actual life, just the choice of empowering mediocrity, even though you know exactly what you’re doing.
I’ve seen this pattern since the bursting of the dot com bubble, when p2p file-sharing was demonized, and DRM was steam rolled over everything.
Seems so benign, the purchase of a personal digital device could have long term effects that are not fully realized, but it did.
I think you understand that at least.

jnt

I understand what you’re saying. But I don’t think anybody here is thinking from such a macro / long-term perspective. And hindsight is 20/20 in your example. If we look at it that way, both companies have negative potential long term consequences, both intended and unintended, that we’d have to take into consideration. Then we could easily negate both products…

Talking strictly in terms of product and software quality – mediocrity is subjective at best, at least with regard to iOS vs. Android.

z

Thought I should revisit this article, and comments.

There was absolutely no 20/20 hindsight when I saw what was going on, maybe I just saw how it was playing out at the time.
P2P was demonized, mp3 players were getting sidelined at retail stores, and products from certain companies just disappeared.
I looked at the hardware and software requirements, I looked at the transportability of purchases and library imports.
The worst was when the DRM enforcement software scanned all of my drives, since I had already converted my CDs, and then it COPIED every single mp3 into it’s own folder.
For someone using a windows machine, this was absolutely unexpected, I didn’t matter that their version of a video player also wanted to be installed, so their video format could get an install base.
I chose a OS that would allow me hardware access, so I saw no reason to allow software to control my access to digital content.
Android is far from mediocre, when it already allows access to your hardware, and to itself, the same cannot be said for other mobile operating systems without subverting them.

There was nothing I could rationalize about a piece of software, acting as gatekeeper to an audio player, and the files that it was allowed to let me hear.

Could it be because of having a Commodore 64 or Amiga 500 long before using a machine with Windows on it?

dilbar stalker

The people that just don’t care are ideal apple customers. Those that do care will look elsewhere.

Tillmorn

You’ve continuously harped about “customization”, using that as your key point in your arguments here. However, that is only a very small part of what sets Android apart from iOS. The best parts deal with things like how apps interact with each other, something that Kellen went into plenty of detail about in his review. Yes, the customization options of Android are a selling point for me ( because I prefer a rather clean, uncluttered look instead of the “here are all of your apps, the moment you unlock your phone!” approach), but it’s rather low down on the list of features I enjoy. I much more enjoy things like the fact that I don’t HAVE to use Google’s proprietary apps to have an amazing experience with my mobile device. For example, if I install a new SMS app or internet browser, all apps that have links built into sms and the browser will use those new apps after a quick setting change (which isn’t hard to find) as opposed to being stuck with whatever iOS dictates as the default.

jnt

You bring up a point that’s a very clear benefit of using Android, for sure. But again, how much true pragmatic value is there to being able to “make it your own phone”, which was the comment I was responding to. And I’m not talking preferential value, I mean true, life changing, pragmatic value? There are some specific situations for sure, but a majority of the time, besides it being a strong preference, it doesn’t really matter that you can change SMS apps, it’s simply nice to have the freedom to do that (which I agree with 100%).

I think the problem we run into (and I say we b/c I do the same thing), is that in our evaluation and comparison of these devices (and I’m talking all of them – OEMs using Android, iOS, WP, etc), we end up attaching a certain intrinsic & pragmatic value to features that are really only preferential. We give those features more weight than they’re worth to justify our thought processes. Then if someone attacks those preferences to which we’ve given added weight, we feel a strong sense of needing to defend them.

MattBoan

Perhaps. As I’ve mentioned to my girlfriend a couple of times recently, it’s not that I dislike Apple’s iOS. There are simply things that Android offers that work better for me that iOS either does not offer, or does not implement in a way that is useful to me. Does that make it worth despising or talking crap about? Nope. Obviously it’s a fine operating system for millions of people around the world.

Pragmatically? There’s not much value to speak of in what I brought up. Personal value? Given that I love having choice, extremely high. That’s in no way bashing iOS in my mind. I guess…If I had to attempt to weigh the debate, I’d say this: Android is much closer, at this time, to a full mobile computing experience. On the other hand, Apple is great for apps, and I still find myself a little envious at times of apps that have yet to be released for Android. Not to mention the integration preference that many third party companies have given iOS.

mcdonsco

Wish I could down vote you.

Apple let’s you do what Apple feels is OK and should be a phone function…nothing more.

Android let’s you customize to your hearts content.

jnt

Yes, we’re well beyond that at this point, and all agree to those points. 🙂

Irvine Culton

It’s Google’s path, junior, you’re just asking for the ride. You pick a path and Google tracks it. You pick a station, read a sign, make as call and big brother is there. Enjoy your “,freedom” ☺

Greyhame

Junior? Please. You get compliments on that tinfoil hat? Every platform mines for information on what you do. It boils down to who you trust. And apple isn’t looking so hot lately. If that’s all you’ve got, we might as well abandon this conversation. Bring something with more intelligence.

Adnan Aslam

totally my point, when i used PC, used to customise but then realised its eating my life away without any actual work done, then moved to mac, i’m ok now with apple controlling somethings. or maybe i have grown up, lol

jnt

Yeah exactly. Not sure if it’s “grown up”, but it’s definitely a re-prioritization of what you’re spending your time doing!

Brannon

I disagree that it’s “…going beyond the main function of their phones for the most part.” The main function of a phone can be debated. It could be argued that it’s to make phone calls and that’s it. It’s evolved to become what I think most would agree is for communication (whether it be phone, messaging, emailing, etc.). However, I contend that the function of a phone is for efficiency. I have my calendar, email, contacts, school files, client files, etc. on my phone. I think that those of us that say, “you can’t customize, it’s boring, etc” are simply taking efficiency and usability to the next level – a level that, perhaps, others don’t, which is why you have your view of our opinion.

jnt

You’re exactly right. And honestly I’m also one of those people that likes to take usability and efficiency to the next level. But I don’t chide or condescend those that don’t care about taking usability to that next level. I don’t treat it as if it’s some sort of significant philosophical world view, and if someone doesn’t care about using their smartphones like that, it’s “wrong”. The ones that have that response, those are who I’m responding to here.

cizzlen

Perfectly well said!

cizzlen

I was on the Android boat for 5 years, ever since the OG droid. Those days were fun but admittedly are behind me. In one year I went from my M7 -> M8 -> G3 and now my iPhone 6. This honestly is the perfect phone for me. I’m not looking back any time soon but I look forward to seeing what Android L packs. It’s nice to have competition.

Smartphone Poweruser

Your response signals that you are not a smartphone power user, you are not maximising the potential for productivity on a “small computer” of a smartphone in the palm of your hands, if not you would have absolutely dread the inconvenience and inefficiency of being productive.. take for example the writer’s experience of Feedly and Emailing articles to himself on an iOS and iphone, its cumbersome. And that is just only putting it lightly, for work and play productivity and functionality, on an Android, I can with a few taps share, edit, tag, curate, and share information / research to and fro from Feedly, Evernote, Freemind, Pocket, email, sms, photo editors, voice notes, OneNote, sketch notes, cloud it, locally store it, encrypt it, hot usb it to a computer etc. with Android the productivity and possibilities is endless, in an iOS equipped iphone by design and by its authoritarian nature, it is only for simple folk, and who live in a fantasy world created by Apple, not realising they are being limited in a tortoise shell. Absolutely delusional!

Joe Doe

Yeah, security. #TheFappening

cocamoxb

lol, the crazy part is that the security part has almost nothing to do with the OS, iOS or Android. If you’re forced to store things in the cloud, iCloud or Google Drive, the security is only as good as the “cloud”, which isn’t exactly “good”.

iCloud, Home Depot, JP Morgan, the internet of (hacked) things!?!

CPA01

Partially true, but iCloud and find my iPhone had serious security problems that no reputable tech company should have had.

There is a difference between 1) getting a few photos because users don’t use reasonable passwords and 2) users getting their data scanned, analyzed and stored by their provider (and turned over to law enforcement and govt when requested). Things can get taken out of context and you will be sharing a cell…maybe with another google user.

mcdonsco

Never could understand the whole law enforcement argument? Are you a drug dealer? A hitman? Wtf does it matter who/what company would comply with law enforcement unless YOU are a criminal to begin with.

SA_NYC

You’re liking the 6+? I’ll admit to being intrigued by it, since I’ve been sorely disappointed by the battery life of my G3, I like the Notes, and there doesn’t seem to be a phablet option without a physical home button. (Although Shamu may come to my rescue.) So you’re liking it? I picked one up in a store and found it awfully slippery to hold. What say you?

Mitch

No more slippery than plastic but with a nicer feel. What helps is that the phone is thinner and narrower so it is easier to get a grip. But I plan to get a soft thin silicon case anyway, I want to keep her looking good for resale in a year.

John Davids

Yeah, you can’t really chide it for being a lay-person’s phone with no settings and then complain about how switching search providers was “one of the 8,000 settings I missed”.

I do think, however, there is some merit to the overarching claim that iOS does not have enough options and the options they DO have are not presented in a user-friendly fashion. Some of that insight was lost to the snark, though 🙂

hybris

What? Did you read the same review? Where did he call it a lay persons phone? He nailed it on the head as far as the settings, and this phone does lack customization options. But those are two different things. Where is the reading comprehension???

John Davids

“I now understand why millions upon millions of people want this phone each year”

“It’s simple, that’s for sure. There are no manual settings that I can find”

“Apple wants iOS to be an app facilitator, nothing more.”

“The only controls I have are how many apps I want in a folder, how many folders I want on a screen, and the arrangement of those folders and their surrounding apps… there are no options for you to customize”

“It’s obvious that Apple has created an experience that they feel is the best for everyone, except they forgot about the tinkerers of the world and those of us who want ultimate control, who want to customize a phone’s experience, and who don’t want to be told that their phone should be used a certain way.”

All of that + 4 years of reading Kellex articles gives me the context I need to know that, in general, he feels that for your average joe (see: lay person) who doesn’t care about tinkering, an iPhone is a pretty good option…maybe the best one. I then go on to say that he makes fantastic points about how iOS does lack lots of options, and the options it DOES have are disjointed and not presented to the user with any sort of sense. However, I warn that these points may be lost on some readers who are too preoccupied with his snarkiness against Apple.

My question: why are you being so hyperbolic, accusatory, and combative? “Where is the reading comprehension???” Do you even read what you type? I would advise when communicating with another human for the first time, try even the slightest shred of humility or civility and don’t automatically go for the character assassination.

hybris

Okay so he did call it a lay persons phone. But you’re taking the other things out of context– of course it can be chided for lack of customizations for the crowd that wants it, while at the same time critized for the unwieldy and awkward settings setup. Those critiques both make sense, especially from an android perspective.

Grayson

7500 of the 8000 settings are the notification and privacy settings for each app. I find it overwhelming as well. Most iOS users just accept whatever is default, but I like to considering each setting I’m given, so iOS settings become very tedious and time consuming. The problem is, iOS gives you millions of settings you don’t really need or want, but 0 settings for more simple things that you would want. That’s how you get 8000 settings while still feeling like you can’t customize anything.

Security and privacy moved up on your list, so you switched to iPhone? /facepalm

Doc O

Yes, unlike Google, Apple does not scan even bit of data (voice, email, etc) that pass through your phone. Google makes money by taking, reviewing and storing user data. They certainly don’t make it on phones sales (with Apple getting 80% of the smartphone industry profits while getting a smaller share of unit sales).

Jeremy Wray

Apple has said they don’t sell any of your personal information and neither does Google. Both do take anonymous data from you, and yes Google is prob more likely to sell it since they don’t make money off hardware sales like Apple does. But it’s still all anonymous.

And Apple phones are not secure. They used to be as easy as if you had the proper app and your target had Bluetooth turned on you could steal any of their info. Yes It had gotten better but I think that the recent celebrity photo leaks are proof that iCloud and such is still obviously not secure.

Meanwhile you can encrypt your phone on Android as well as Google has made it clear that they are working on making Android as secure as Blackberry is/was so they can be the main pushing front in high level business, or government.

Tillmorn

So that’s why the military turned to Android for their mobile needs as opposed to Apple…right?

hybris

Control and customization do not equal settings. You are confusing his points. iOS settings are a convoluted mess for tech people, can’t imagine how anaverage user feels when they dive in there.

MikeKorby

I’ve noticed this for ages. I work with tech, and I cannot stand navigating through iOS. Everything seems so convoluted to me, and it just makes me clamor for my Android device as quickly as possible. It makes me feel like working with iOS is a difficult process, yet I see folks who can barely power on their laptop work their iPhone with ease. I have always just chalked it up to having higher expectations regarding menus, settings, etc. I guess the linear nature of iOS settings are simple for the average user, but too simple for techies?

hybris

Maybe, but I worked as a CSR at VZW for a few years and most consumers I talked to were lost in their settings as well. Same goes for most of my iOS using friends– they are clueless about anything but the basics. Its almost as bad as touch wiz. I got iPhone for my parents but after half a year, I think they’d understand stock android settings a lot easier.

MikeKorby

Maybe I am just used to iPhone users only going as far as sound and wifi settings, making it look like they have an idea as to what they are doing on their phones. Then again, ask someone on either side of that aisle to connect to a VPN, Then we will see how easy settings navigation is!

Jeremy Wray

My mom has had an iPad through her work for a couple of years now (her superior thought it was a brilliant idea to get rid of their laptops and switch to iPads to write their reports and such) and she has never been able to figure it out nor really like it. And the app store just completely scares her. I got her a Nexus7 last xmas and she dabbed in it some but she liked it so much more and said it was so much easier to figure out how to use that she finally made the jump from her feature to a Galaxy phone and shes doing pretty damn well with using it.

z

That’s just crazy, did she atleast get a kayboard to help with the reports?
Are you sure the main reason for the brilliant idea wasn’t location tracking?

Big E

True Mr. Corby, unless you have and IQ above 100, a lot of simple things can seems convoluted. Smarts likes yours is why my company outsources all IT to India.

Jeremy Wray

Every tech savy person I know of that has switched or tried iOS after Android as said in order to use iOS you need to turn your brain off. If you search for things where you would expect them to be or expect something to work a certain way, you won’t find it. Instead you need to think of basically the stupidest way to do it, and that will be the way.

centhar

Some of us just don’t have a “full on retard” switch.. or can’t find it. Mine broke on purpose.

k4ever

I own a Samsung phone. I have used pure Android and Cyanogenmod for a long time. The one thing I hate about Samsung phones are the convoluted settings. However, iOS settings look 100 times worse. I thought the settings menu on the bottom was supposed to make this junk better. Also, what is up with the volume settings? On just about any Android phone you can easily get to all of the volume settings just by hitting the volume button once, then hitting the gear on the on screen volume slider. He had dig deep in the settings and he never found how to fix the notification volume. Weird. I never want to hear another iPhone user complain about TouchWiz, iOS is a mess.

Excellent first look! I actually learned something from this instead of the customary “iPhone is the bestest ever” that you get from other review sites. BTW, one of my co-workers has the gold iPhone 6. He is right, it is hideous. Those bands on the back really stand out.

You didn’t bother to read up on all that securitying going on, how about a simple slide show regarding the private images and videos stored within that step closer to privacy and security you’re going on about.http://www.slideshare.net/mobile/fullscreen/alexeytroshichev/icloud-keychain-38565363
This information was presented MONTHS prior, and ignored, how many accounts do you think were accessed and scanned before anything was done?
Do you actually believe ONLY certain accounts were targeted?
IF you actually believe that, then how many accounts do you think were accessed and scanned in the search for the targeted accounts?

Guest

I challenge you to breach iPhone security without jail breaking the device. That’s the kind of security that’s important. If you store sensitive information in the cloud, well expect to share it with others without your consent. Not really an iPhone issue really.

mcdonsco

*cough*, icloud can store your keychain *cough*

z

I challenge you to breach Android security.
In the end there would be two data wiped devices, but the remnants of your hardware id are found online with your keychain, when every single password screen says that the keychain is NOT accessible.
I have nothing against the hardware execution, its the restrictive software and the callous method in which it is dropped on users every year, take it or leave it.
This glorified mp3/video player is now 10 years behind, no matter how hard they make it to get into.

jnt

Yes I did read up on that. And I’ll simply respond by saying “what Guest said” in response to your comment. Cloud Data vs day to day phone security are almost unrelated issues… almost. As with all cloud based services, a better password would go a long way, let alone 2 step authentication. I’m not excusing Apple for the oversight either. Just saying it’s not an Apples to Apples comparison.

mo

Cloud data and your phone are interwtined now. They are very related. Doesn’t matter if you use Android, iOS, Windows, BlackBerry, etc. You need an Apple ID, Google acount, Live account, etc. I’m not saying any ecosystem is better than the other though. I’m not a security expert. I only know what the companies are marketing which shouldn’t be taken too seriously beyond the fancy buzz words.

Although, the IT deparment of my workplace does like BlackBerry in regards to security and especially IT adminstration but gave into the demands of the employees wanting Android and iOS devices to be issued.

Tillmorn

By all means, please explain how non-jailbroken iOS is any more secure than non-rooted Android. Besides a bloody fingerprint reader, what does the company you find so endearing offer that I can’t get on my G3? And if Apple’s mobile platform really was so much more secure than Android, why would the US military decide to go with Android for their mobile platform needs as opposed to the supposedly “superior” iOS?

jnt

Endearing? Assume much?

Default Encryption. Inability to install 3rd party apps. Those two alone make it safer for the general public who aren’t even aware encryption exists on a smartphone. And to quote my post above, “Touch ID, anonymizing mac addresses… …personal data not being monetized (to the extent Google does anyway)… I’m not saying they’re perfect, but they’re definitely a step closer to privacy and security than Google / Android.”

And the military chose Android b/c it’s open source and they can make it what they want – the same reason some OEMs have used Android over the years.

FWIW I prefer and own Android, but I’m not so dogmatic an Android fan that I’m blinded to the facts.

dcandps

You actually are excusing the oversight, contemplate for a while why something like that was overlooked in relation to a global conglomerate.
If something as simple as user security was overlooked, without audit or review, what else is being exposed to the internet besides those private photos and videos?

centhar

Nothing has changed, only your naive perception. You want real security and privacy? Leave the grid.

Guest

I’m tempted to try the 6+ too after using Android since 2009.. how is it going?>

Is that so? How is an “android enthusiasts” opinion on an iPhone even considered fair, when he goes in with the idea of “…it’s what i expected.” It’s clear Kellen has already made up his mind before reviewing the iPhone. I don’t think anyone here would have expected him to say, well, I’m switching at the end of this review. I would say the same thing of any Apple fan reviewing an Android device.

People have different opinions when it comes the performance of a smartphone, while Android may give users more customization, Apple gives customers the smoothest experience on any mobile device (Kellen even agrees). Apple takes the time to pair their software and hardware, giving the iPhone stellar battery life and amazing performance. Android OEMs are at war with one another and feel compelled to shove in the latest, most powerful hardware, while not really spending the time to see how they interact with the other hardware and software. This is why Galaxy devices stutter and lag, despite having 3GB of RAM and a quad-core processor. This is why Moto X devices can’t last the day or why HTC’s cameras are just terrible. But, this is why Apple’s 8MP camera outshines 10, 13 and 20 megapixel cameras, why their dual-core processors and 1GB of RAM still out perform everything on the market. Overall, while Apple’s OS may not offer the ability to customize icons or add massive clock widgets to your home screen, what it does, is offer a smooth experience while offering an easy way to get to the apps you use all day. After all, what’s more important, finding the app you need, when you need it or having a great looking homescreen? I know there are plenty of you who love to turn your phones on, just to look at your display, then turn it back off. That’s just not me.

That all side, there is nothing fair in this review, other than Kellen, an Android loyalist, giving the iPhone some air time on Droid-Life. That’s about it.

Primey_

Imagine what apple could do with a bigger sized battery. The thing could go for days

That camera is nuts. The only Android phone even close to it is the Xperia Z3 which is only available through T-Mobile. Come on Samsung, LG, Motorola, and HTC!

jnt

The camera on the 6 is the best I’ve used, ever. I wish it had a couple more megapixels.

JiGSaW525

I believe they are still using a Sony Camera Lens in the iPhone….so the Xperia Z3 is a good comparison.

Thanks Sony, now let other companies have your tech 🙂

ceejw

“phone has an always exposed camera lens that will take the brunt of every collision. It also doesn’t allow the phone to lay fully flat and is the first piece of your phone that contacts any surface it is laid on. It is asking to be scratched.”

It’s incredibly unlikely that you’ll be able to scratch the camera lens since it’s made of sapphire.

This is a status symbol for Kabillions of people. As a teacher, I am pretty sure 99% of all high school kids have an iphone and trust me, it’s a status symbol. I’m not saying it should be! Just saying, it is. Period.

jnt

I don’t know, in my area nobody seems to care – it’s almost becoming uncool to have an iPhone if you’re a teenager. So I don’t know if it’s the condescending status symbol it used to be.

Jeff C

jeez what part of the country do you live in. sounds great. its still a status symbol in the northeast. it’s seen as cool, because celebs use it, or the nightly news covers the apple launch, or for one reason or another it’s ingrained in people’s heads that its “cool”. did i ramble? lol

jnt

I live in the DFW area, which is basically a NY wannabe (at least the Dallas part is), so maybe my perspective is simply skewed to my hope… 🙂

James

As a professor in the DFW area, I can say that iphones are absolutely still a status symbol among college students here.

It really does seem to be a location thing. I live in the capital of a midwest state and I was helping some teens with a project at a high school last week and I overheard them talking about how great “Galaxies” were and deriding iPhones as what their moms use.

jnt

Samsung marketing at its best…

tom riddle

I live in Wylie and have a 16 year old. He had iphones since 10 years old. last year went to samsung, hated it in the end because it started rebooting itself. i said lets work on it, see what happens…..nope, he went back to iphone about 3 months ago. last week he says, “i want another android, apple sucks, it’s not cool.” so there you go, a happy dad again. 16 year old is getting a nexus5 and i transferred my 13 year old to a motoX. Ha!

theycallmerayj

In my circle of friends and family having a iPhone is lame unless your are older. Every person I’ve converted to android has liked it more than iPhone. I think it’s a lack of knowledge about android that makes people think its “cool”. Same way people think its the best selling phone in the world when people in other countries use android.

Tyler Durden

Happy to be back on iOS with my 6+.

chris_johns

shhh

theycallmerayj

It really is personal preference but I got a 6 to give iOS a second try and hated it.

Grayson

Same here. I have a One M8 and the iPhone camera, among other things (the finally acceptable screen size), tempted me into buying one. Returned it two days later. Some things were great, but other things were just awful. Overall I just find Android more enjoyable.

Shawn Spring

I’ve read the “opposite effect” is coming into play with iPhones and teens/tweens now as well. Since so many of their family have them, they want something “different.” Because if your mom and dad have an iPhone, how cool can it be?

Jprime

All of this is true

CPA01

iPhones are a dime a dozen. Why be a follower?

The reviewer is correct in that you can’t change much about how your iPhone looks. Basically everyone’s iPhone looks identical. Which is pretty hilarious given Apple’s iconic anti-Microsoft ad against being one of the nameless, faceless, identical drones. Apple’s primary product now has its users being nameless, faceless, identical drones.

You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain

Shawn Spring

I’ll upvote anyone who uses a Dark Knight reference.

abazigal

This is about choosing the best smartphone which best suits your needs. Who cares whether it is a dime a dozen or not.

CPA01

If that was the case, we’d be buying Moto Gs.

People like buying status (despite the fact that there isn’t a phone out there for commercial release that is actually a symbol of status. $0 iPhones ain’t a status symbol). If we actually bought what we needed, we’d all be carrying out Lumias and Moto Gs. They’ll do what we need for much less.

abazigal

Yeah, but 3 moto Gs don’t make an iPhone, at least not for the stuff I do with it. There’s the games which are often released for ios first (or exclusively), airplay mirroring, iWork’s suite, icloud integration with my other Apple devices, shared photostreams, the build quality of my 5s, and how well the iphone retains ita resale value, amongst other things.

I won’t go so far as to assert that the iphone is the best phone there is, but it remains a very capable piece of hardware, and I wish more people would acknowledge it as such, rather than keep putting it down at every opportunity.

CPA01

And how much of that cannot be substituted with something else? I’m guessing none.

Your whole shick is that it’s about Apple, therefore iPhone, but you ignore how Android has basically every substitute for that. And build quality in Apple has dropped quite a bit both in hardware and software. The iOS8 release has been disaster, after disaster, after disaster. Google does it better with staggered releases to ensure that they’re not bricking every phone out there.

As for resale, that’s basically bull**** if you look on eBay. And it’s worse when you consider the actual cost of most iPhones as they’re sold on subsidy. A $850 iPhone is not a good value if you resale it for $250. Especially when you can resale a Nexus 5 for 70% of the cost.

Note, I’m not saying it’s a bad phone, I’m just saying there really isn’t a reason to buy it outside of a desire for status or because you have more money than brains. There are plenty of other phones that will do the same work for far, far, far, less money.

if we actually bought what we NEEDED, we’d be getting Moto Gs. But some people like to partake in 200+% markups.

iPhone 6 is estimated at $180 cost to manufacturer. $650 off contract results in massive profits for Apple. $850 after two years from carrier ensures a profit for the carrier. Why on EARTH would a smart person pay a 470% markup?

abazigal

As I mentioned below, there isn’t this one mythical android device which amalgamates the best features of every smartphone into one “Frankenstein-phone” to rule them all.

I dunno – you find the substitutes for me. And even if they exist, they may not work as well. Which is what I find many people tend to gloss over when comparing specs in a vacuum. Sure, there were likely alternatives to the Apple TV back in 2012 when I was shopping for a Mirroring solution for my classroom, but none of them were as easy to set up, stable or as intuitive to use as Apple’s own solution. And I stress that I am not a tech-savvy user by any means.

In a nutshell, I make no secret of the fact that I own and use a variety of Apple products. They may cost more upfront, but my general experience has been that they quickly pay for themselves in the form of better productivity and fewer problems overall. That’s what you get when you buy an Apple product – an integrated solution which just works right out of the box.

cizzlen

So true, and that is what Google needs to focus on. Providing an easy and efficient experience while offering Android users the freedom they like to have.

CPA01

Apple costs more period. Not upfront. More period.

And it’s far more likely you haven’t bothered to look.

Apple products work right out of the box? Really? Like iOS 8?

You really are drinking the kool aid aren’t you?

Only an idiot pays a 470% markup.

abazigal

I find it amusing that you are claiming to know what is working better for me than me myself.

Regardless, whether you believe it or not, or even if you can’t accept what I say, it doesn’t change the fact that my Apple devices are working quite well for me, I see myself continuing to use them for a good many years to come, and I simply don’t see myself switching to Android or to Windows (save for the workplace-issued windows laptop which I tolerate).

Have a nice day. 🙂

fillyo75

An item just cannot be a status symbol when it is acquirable by almost anyone and is used equally by kids, moms and grandparents.

CPA01

iSheep like to compare the iPhone to luxury cars yet fail to realize that nowhere on the planet can you walk into a Mercedes dealership, pay 0% down and drive off with a new car on a fuel and maintenance plan.

All across America, you can walk into numerous stores, including Walmart, get an iPhone for $0 down with a new plan and get out the door in 10 minutes.

A status symbol that has a $0 entry fee is not a status symbol.

alex

There are more countries in the world than America. In most other places, subsidies don’t exist on phone plans and you need to purchase at full price. Think beyond your borders every now and then, it is a big world.

CPA01

And in those cases, there are many Android phones that sell for the same if not more. Which further proves my case that Apple ain’t no luxury.

And Apple isn’t for the rich either. Most of Europe is subsidy free and has very little Apple market share. Japan is subsidy rich and about the same GDP as most of Europe and Apple dominates. It’s not about wealth, or luxury, it’s about a model that relies on stupid people to get tricked into a contract that lets their carrier screw them on the price of the product.

cizzlen

“iSheep” – stopped reading there

CPA01

Probably for the best. iSheep can’t comprehend large words as it is. Just stop at that. It’s easier.

abazigal

I think the correct term is “aspirational brand”. More like a badge of honour, where you have to have one to show that you are of a certain standing. I agree that there’s not much “status” to it when even the toilet-cleaning lady at my school has one as well (no offence to these unsung heroes, just showing how readily attainable they are).

I agree. I also work at a high school, and everyone thinks they are a lot cooler if they have an expensive iPhone versus a cheap Android.

Josh Sowin

Funny, all the schools around me are full of Galaxy users.

cizzlen

It may seem that way when you’re dealing with high school kids who aren’t tech savvy. Apple dishes out a reliable, stable experience which is why all those people tend to own one. They have done a good job building up a user base years before Android made any impact on the scene. Nowadays it’s either iPhone or Galaxy

MistaButters

You just don’t like the protruding lens because you can’t set the phone on rocks for photo ops.

You should have taken pictures of the iPhone in the gallery above with an iPhone!

Bob

Please squash that like the cockroach that it is…

WK

touché

Ryan

Your point about the lens “begging to be scratched” however isn’t well taken – the camera lens since the iPhone 5 has been covered in Sapphire Crystal, which won’t be scratched with anything short of a diamond. Shatter? Maybe, but scratch? No.

Vanquishgc

God that thing looks hideous from the back. At least the 5s was decent looking. This is an abomination. Ugh.

Guest

Apple made iPhone 6 & 6+ incredibly thin (even when it made camera lens protuding and ugly) and in turn slippery for only one reason – squeeze more more money from iFools through Apple care (most iFools carry iphone naked and for that Applecare is a must buy), it’s by design by an evil company.

Vanquishgc

It’s ridiculous how right you are about iPhone users carrying their phone naked without a case. I couldn’t believe when I sold phones, and I’d get customers that just didn’t want a case, not to mention insurance. I would actually tell them “so what you’re telling me is that you’re comfortable walking out of here with zero protection whatsoever for your $700 phone? Well, sir/ma’am, you certainly are more brave (stupid) than I”. Either they were worried about covering up their fashion statement, or just cheap. But all were dumb…

Ryan N

The great thing about android wear is being able to dismiss any notification of a DL iPhone article without removing my phone from my pocket!

Mech_Engr_09

Then promptly click on said article and post about it.

Ryan N

I thought about that after. Ha. This was the exception.

Ssl0408

I am loving my iPhone 6. The battery is far better than the 5S, but of course it should be

jnt

Good write-up. I love my 6 (and have excellent call quality on VZW FWIW), but iOS is really the weak point. And I don’t hate iOS either, I like a lot of things in iOS, it’s just not the breadth of potential (and open) functionality that Android is – albeit most average users don’t care about that.

David

iPhone 6 or Moto X? Battery life and camera on the X are what’s killing it for me…

EDIT: Does anyone see the Moto X as being “less reliable” than the iPhone 6?

jnt

This is just me, but I’d choose the 6 (assuming price isn’t a huge factor). The new X didn’t impress me for some reason. I’d go back to the S5 or G3 over the X now that the X is practically the same size. This is assuming the X’s software features aren’t “must haves” for you… though with Google letting you say “ok google” from any screen now, that brings a lot of similar functionality onto non-Moto devices.

David

I want the stock Android experience for reliability. I currently have a Note 3, and please, no more Samsung Touchwiz lol. Android L on touchwiz looks absolutely nothing special.

epyon

Since you like the stock Android experience, and if you can, I’d suggest the Nexus 5. Sure, it’s a year old phone, but it’s killer. I recently switched to AT&T and was going back and forth between getting the iPhone 6 and N5. I’m really pleased with going to the N5. My last phone was the 2013 Moto X on VZW, and I’m floored with how much better the battery is, even though they’re the same size (2300 mAh).

jzwerlz43

either that or he should wait and see the droid turbo. that will have stock android with Motorola enhancements plus a huge battery. cant go wrong with the nexus 5 though either!

David

Yes I was thinking Droid Turbo, but I’m hearing it won’t fully work on T-Mobile.

rich

Sure it will. I’m using a vzw note3 with no problems.

David

Kellen mentioned in a post that LTE will not work on T-Mo, with the Turbo.

David

Thing is I’m on VZW. I MIGHT be switching to T-Mobile, but for now we’re not sure. So, I need to get a phone that will work on both GSM and CDMA (LTE on both).

Godzilla

I own a moto X and I can tell you the battery stuff is a bunch of bull. I am getting through an entire day with zero problems

David

How much of screen-on time? I use full brightness, always.

Godzilla

Auto brightness 2 hours screen time.

staticx57

If you upgrade to the G2 or G3 you will easily get double that.

WAldenIV

Great write up, Kellen! I wish that most reviewers were as even-handed with Apple reviews.

James

Yep, this is some good work here. Very informative and fair.

I’m curious about iOS, and think about switching for a second every once in a while. But I agree with every one of Kellen’s points above. The benefits of Android just work much better for me.

Now let’s just get the Android camera game on point…

Chris Stuart

I was thinking of switching BC I have enjoyed using my wife’s ipad mini so much. But I got the G3 before the 6 launched. In retrospect, I made the right call.

CPA01

Yesterday I spent 10 minutes removing photos off my iPad.

The day before that I spent 30 seconds removing photos off my Nexus 5.

iOS takes some of the simplest things to do on a device and makes them absurdly frustrating.

As autoplay doesn’t seem to work or very fickle on the iPad, I have no choice but to sync to an empty folder and pray it works. Took two tries for that to work.

Android is simply just easier.

bigdunit

This really is a good review. I stopped paying attention to Iphone reviews when I read about how the company controls media access, so this article is a breathe of fresh air. I’m used to Android and BB10 (work phone) and like both equally. Both have real file systems and multitasking, as opposed to silos / sandboxes in IOS and WP, making it feel like a real computer. I couldn’t even figure out how to email a downloaded video in my wife’s ipad.

Thought about, it’s just that I didn’t exactly review it like we do Android phones. Didn’t think it was fair to fully go “review.” Guess I could have though.

zepfloyd

It’s interesting. As of last week, I got an iPhone 6 plus as a work device to complement my personal Note 3. While your review covers the 6, it’s somewhat worth nothing the Plus is a full 1080p which if you look side by side, looks a ton better than the 6. OIS makes it the best the low light camera I’ve ever used, And if the battery life on the 6 was great, my Plus after being off charger for 5.5 hours with an hour of on time was at an insane 96%. (Note was at 74%)

Ultimately I came away feeling just like you, with Android > iOS, but damn there are things it does excel at.

DaManFitty

@zepfloyd…How long have you had your Note 3? Because the battery on the 6+ is going to be better because it’s new. Give it a few months then compare. My Note 3 battery life was Excellent when I first bought it/or for the first 8 mos. However, I’ve had it for over a year now and it’s losing some of it’s MoJo. But all I need to do is buy another battery and there you go. Note 4 “I see you”……

zepfloyd

Launch, but I have newer batteries too as spares. It’s not a matter of new, i haven’t found the life to have declined all that much in any of them since I’ve had it, it’s just frankly not as good as the 6+ in that regard. I watched an 18 minute youtube video on it this morning and it was still at 100%. Never had a phone do that. Same video brings the Note down to 96%. There IS just something about controlling both the hardware and the software.

DaManFitty

Or there is something about having a big phone with no real purpose. The Note line has a purpose for being big.
Can you show me a link with that… I find it hard to believe you viewed a YouTube video at 100% and it was still 100%….of course you could’ve still had it plugged in.. That’ll work.

zepfloyd

No it wasn’t plugged in :facepalm:, I suppose I could rerun that again tomorrow morning after I charge it. Not really looking to go out of my way to make a point for some dude on the internet.

Here’s 5.5 hours off the charger at 97% and 11.5 off the charger at right now at 85%

Lol, I have to give you a thumbs up, “some dude”. My Point is the battery life should be good seeing that it doesn’t have the functionality that the Note 3 has.. Ie S-Pen, and Multitasking… The Note 3 and 4 are in a class of their own….. Samsung was Revolutionary in that regard. You really should be comparing the IPhone 6+ to the LG G3….

zepfloyd

What you’re largely saying is bloatware runs down battery, making it less efficient, I agree. I use the S-Pen from time to time as it’s helpful occasionally, but largely I don’t and most people (stats back that up) don’t. In fact 80% of what gets backed in to Touchwhiz is ignored by most. It helps a checklist not real world functionality. “revolutionary?” …I think you’ve been drinking too much Samsung koolaid. Stylus has been around for decades, and touchwhiz is god awful in appearance and janky at best. It’s apparent most intuitive Android users have had enough. G3 is a solid device, I’m holding out for something stock to replace the Note. I’ll end replies with this. There is something to be said for Apple’s ‘just works’ bit. Having my Note 3 connected to my new BMW the last few months for phone calls and music has been nice, but plugging in the 6+ and seeing texts, notifications, Siri on the wheel, calls, music etc all flow through iDrive perfectly is a real treat.

DaManFitty

Lol, you’re funny…. I knew you was delusional when you mentioned 100% AFTER watching a YouTube video…. Now I know it was plugged in. Sorry but stats doesn’t back it up(Go back to delusional).. … You’re an I-sheep user who’s been hiding as a Note 3 user because you like the big screen. So when Bendgate came you wanted to find an excuse. Apple just works? Yes it works just like Android, Actually, it’s becoming more and more like Android. The NOTE 3 is REVOLUTIONARY in its application as a Big Screen with alot of functionality. Also, I own a BMW(335xi)….Did you mention SIRI? really? hahahhahhahahhahahhhhhhhhhhhahahhhhhhhhhaaaaaa…… The NOTE Series is in a class of it’s own and The Note 4 will continue to dominate the Phablet market….

zepfloyd

I’m an iSheep? You realize I’m one of the most active droid-life user/posters since damn near the beginning of this site, right?. 2800 posts vs 7? LOL. There’s the laugh of the century. You have to be on another planet or simply a knee jerking 12 year old fanboy. The difference is I have maturity of evaluating tech products of all kinds for nearly 30 years with fanboy glasses off. I merely mentioned Siri because functionally it is integrated, Google Now is not. That has nothing to do with anything or that Google Now clearly is 10000x more valuable. That is fact. Since you’re still hung up on 100% here’s 2:45 off the charger, 35 minutes mixed usage and yup. 100% still. Don’t bother replying, I’m done with your stupidity.

IOS 8 does that on my 5s as well since launch. It is a calibrating issue.

zepfloyd

If that was the case at some point the battery would run down quickly and I haven’t had that happen, and after a dozen or so charges by now that would have run its course. Nothing has changed yet and I doubt it will. It’s gone two full days plus before getting to 20%. I hope someday Android will match the endurance of this guy, cause it’s what all phones should be.

Shamu

I loved all the pictures of St. johns! I’m at the University of Portland right now and was excited to see such local pictures. Cheers Portland Friends!